Inside My Mind
by MariaG
Summary: AU fic. Max and Liz don't know each other yet but through a stunning connection they soon will. (dropped the rating. Don't really think that it warrants an R)
1. Chap 1 The Explanation

- Inside My Mind Part 1 -  
  
  
  
"Look Isabel this all started about a month ago, I don't know why and I don't know how but you have to help me."  
  
"Max, I can't help you until you tell me what's going on!"  
  
"Fine. You'd better sit down for this."  
  
"Maxwell I'm not doing anything until you lose the cryptic and tell me what the hell this is about!"  
  
"Fine here goes."  
  
"It all started like I said about a month ago. At first it wasn't every night, maybe just once a week. But lately its been every night."  
  
"What has been every night!"  
  
"Hello, Iz I'm trying to set up the story here." he told her with an obvious tone.  
  
"Like I was saying, lately its been every night. I don't know her name or even where she's from. But what I do know is that she's scared. And not just for her life but for everyone she loves life's as well."  
  
"Wait, wait I'm missing something here how are you seeing her?"  
  
"I don't know exactly. Its when I'm asleep its like my dreams but they aren't. She's like calling out to me. She needs my help but I don't know how to help her."  
  
"Well tell me what you have been seeing and what you do know, we can take it from there."  
  
"OK, well I know that she is in an apartment I keep seeing her in the living room. No wait its a bedroom, because she's always by the edge of the bed but looking out the window." Max thought as he tried to remember back to his first dreams.  
  
"Why is she looking out the window?"  
  
"I'm not sure but I always see her there. Then this guy comes in. He's tall and dark, he looks like he wants to kill her. And she just stands there like awaiting what is coming to here, she doesn't run she doesn't try to escape she just stands there."  
  
"Ok go on."  
  
"He comes towards here. And she still stands there. He tells her that 'She needs to leave, that she shouldn't be there.' She nods and starts to walk away, but he grabs her and throws her on the bed. Then he starts yelling at her its kinda incoherent but she reacts to it the same way as before she just nods. Then he tells her that 'he never loved her she was just convient.' That's when she finally says something she yells back to him 'You know what Sean, I never loved you either you were just there when I needed you, so you see it works both ways.' But I can tell that she doesn't mean it, I can see the tears start to flow down her cheeks, and then that's when it happens......."  
  
"Max, Max that's when what happens?"  
  
TBC? 


	2. Chap 2 The Expierience

- Inside My Mind Part 2 –  
  
"Max, Hello??"  
  
"....That's when he reaches behind him and pulls out a gun. he holds it out to her, like he's going to shoot. I can see the glare from its cold steel off of the moon outside her window, and my breath catches in my throat each time. But the worst part is that I know I'm more scared than she is in that moment. Its not that she needs a minute to let the realization sink in that she could die in any second. I know that she is fully aware and she accepts it. He pulls the trigger and I see the bullet lunge out to her. It hits her in her lower stomach. She tries to stop it to cover the bleeding, to put pressure on her wound, But its not enough and the darkness claims her. That's all I ever see. Over and over again."  
  
"My god Max. I had know idea." Isabel says in a sympathetic voice.  
  
"The scary thing is that if I've been seeing this for over a month now. Then that means that it hasn't happened yet. That there might still be time to save her. Why else would I still be seeing this if it has happened? Why would she keep sending this to me?"  
  
"Max I don't know I mean why is she even sending this to you in he first place. But your probably right. How are we going to find her? I mean we don't even know what state she lives in."  
  
"I know, I know I've been over it a million times. I just don't know."  
  
"Well what does she look like maybe I've seen her before."  
  
"She's kind of short, and she's petite. She has the most beautiful silky brown hair and it hangs just above her shoulder blades. With the most innocent dough like eyes, but they have been corrupted. She seems to be about our age."  
  
"Going off of that I couldn't tell you if I knew her either way. Did you ever think you know that maybe you could make this connection go the other way? I mean I know when I dreamwalk it feels like I'm inside of them and I'm just an observer. I put myself there though. But she's deliberately pulling you into this."  
  
"I don't know do you think its possible that I could make it go the other way. Like I could stop the process and ask her how or even why?"  
  
"Well, there's only one way to find out. It's pretty late right now." Isabel said as she looked over to her alarm clock. "So you try and get some sleep and take it from there. I'll be in here if you need me."  
  
"Ok, and thank you for listening Iz."  
  
"Sure what are sisters for if not to help you when your being stalked in your dreams." She said in a humorous voice as Max closed the door behind him. And walked down the Evans house hall to his room.  
  
After Max did his normal night time routine he made it to his bed in a shirt and his boxers. Prepared for what was about to hit him. But he couldn't even comprehend what he was getting himself into.  
  
TBC 


	3. Chap 3 The Encounter

- Inside my Mind Part 3 –  
  
  
  
Max went to bed that night at 1:00AM. Only to be taken into the mind of Liz Parker at 1:15AM.  
  
He was there in the room where he was always taken to. But this time he knew that he couldn't just stand there and let this happen to her. First he tried to walk a step forward. To see if it was even possible for him to have any say in her subconscious. But he was surprised when he found that he did. He quickly walked over to her at the window as she looked onto the street below her. He knew that he had to hurry because the man would be coming in shortly, as he always did. Carefully he put his hand on her shoulder. Careful not to frighten her.  
  
"You have to come with me now. I don't have much time. But I will explain everything later." He said in his most soothing voice.  
  
When Liz looked up to his amber eyes she knew she recognized him. That he was her savior. And all logic as to why he was there diapered at that moment.  
  
"Of course I will."  
  
Just as relief flooded through Max. He heard the all to familiar foot steps coming down the apartment hall. "Liz, you better be in there. I have something to show you." The obviously drunk man slurred as he could be heard more clearly down the hall.  
  
"We have to hide now." Max said in a hushed whisper.  
  
"Ok." Liz said as she took Max's hand and lead him into the closet on the opposite end of the room.  
  
Just as she shut the closet door securing both of them in the small area. The bedroom door opened. Through the slits in the closet doors Max could see that it was the man in her dreams and his nightmares. He stomped around the room.  
  
"Hey Parker. Where the fuck are you. I have a little present for you." The man continued as he exited the room looking for her in other places of the apartment.  
  
"We should stay in here until we hear him leave." Max said rhetorically to himself. As Liz just nodded.  
  
"WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU MY LITTLE BITCH!" The man yelled as he slammed the apartment door behind him.  
  
As soon as one door closed another flung open and Max couldn't help but to go on with questions a million miles a second.  
  
"Who are you? Why am I here? Where is here? Who was that? And Why the hell are you still with him!?" Max said all in one breath.  
  
"Ok calm down. First of all. I am Liz Parker. Secondly, I don't know why you are here. Thirdly, here would be Las Cruces, NM. That was Sean my ... I guess you would call him my boyfriend. I'm with him because I don't have a choice!"  
  
"What do you mean you don't have a choice! Of course you do everyone has a choice!?" Max pleaded out to her.  
  
"Wait a sec. Your not the only one here with questions, who the hell are you?"  
  
"I'm Max Evans. I don't know why but I keep seeing this, well getting this dream." Max paused. How could he explain to her that he kept seeing her 'boyfriend' shoot her right in this very room. "Of you here. Your as you say boyfriend comes and he well, I know he's drunk. But he he shoots you."  
  
"What that's impossible. Sean doesn't even have a gun."  
  
"Well I'm telling you that he does and if you don't do something he's going to use it on you. I've been seeing the same thing for over a month now. The same dream and it always ends the same way."  
  
"Your him." Liz flatly stated as she looked on at him in amazement.  
  
"I'm who?" Max asked back not sure if she caught everything that he had told her.  
  
"Your my savior. Everyday for the past month I've been standing by that window wishing for something more, something better, for someone to save me." Liz said as she gestured onto the window that Max had seen her standing at every time he saw her.  
  
"Liz, I know this is all really strange. But I don't think I'm your savior. I'm going to help you. But its not like I was sent her by a higher power or anything like that."  
  
"Then why or how would you get here otherwise. I mean I never really bought into that hull 'Touched by and Angel' saga but this is definitely on the unexplainable side, don't you think?"  
  
"Yeah. Your right about that." Max muttered to himself. "Liz, I'm what you would call a little different."  
  
"Yeah! See I knew it your an Angel aren't you!"  
  
"No, no angel trust me. I really don't know how nor have time to explain right now but. You have to tell me something." Max said as fast as he could knowing that he was loosing his connection.  
  
"I know this isn't actually reality, right now we are just in one of your dreams. But is it possible I mean can you think outside of this back to reality?"  
  
"I ... yah. I mean I make this from reality right."  
  
"Yeah, OK so has this happened? Or is he really like this. Look if he is you need to get away from him and fast. My time here is running out but you have to promise me that!"  
  
"Max, I promise." Liz said in a total daze.  
  
"good."  
  
As Max started to dissolve away. Liz still had one more question.  
  
"If your real and your not and angel. Then were do I find you?"  
  
"Roswell, New Mexico." He said as he disappeared completely.  
  
--------------------------------  
  
Two lonely people woke up two towns apart in empty beds in empty rooms shock coursing through their veins as the realization hit them as to what they just went through.  
  
TBC 


	4. Chap 4 Liz's Wake

- Inside my Mind Part 4 –  
  
  
  
-Liz Parker residence, Las Cruces, New Mexico, 2:30AM-  
  
Liz sat up straight in her bed, as her mind wrapped around everything that she just saw.  
  
Max invading her dreams, but finding out that they were his as well-  
  
Hiding in her closet with a complete stranger-  
  
Sean being drunk and going to shoot her-  
  
  
  
As she slowly comprehended everything that had happened. She couldn't handle it it was just to unreal. So she did the first thing that came to her flooded mind, she screamed.  
  
1 "AAAHHHHHHH"  
  
"What the hell. Liz honey are you all right." Maria said as she came running into her dearest and best friends room.  
  
"Huh, Maria?"  
  
"Yah, hun Maria. Who else would I be." Maria stated as she sat on Liz's bed and seeing her friends state took her into a hug.  
  
"Liz, it's ok. It was just a bad dream. We all have them sometimes." Maria said soothingly as she stroked Liz's back trying to calm her down.  
  
"No Maria. This was different this was real. I I ... annd." Liz tried to get it out gesturing to the window and to her closet. But it just wasn't working. How could she explain this to Maria? Sure Maria was a little weird herself, but this isn't just something that happened all the time. But if she had any hopes of making it to Roswell she was going to need Maria there the whole way.  
  
"Look, Maria there's something I have to tell you." Liz said as she pulled away from her friends embrace and settled back onto the bed. "You have to promise me you aren't going to flip out."  
  
"Flip out? Hey, its me."  
  
"Ok then here goes ...." Liz continued to explain onto Maria about her encounter in her dream with Max.  
  
"Wait, wait what do you mean. He said Sean was going to do what to you?" Maria asked in total disbelief.  
  
"He said that Sean was going to shoot me right here in this room. And that I had to do something to change that. I know Maria this is really strange. But I believed him. I think with the way things have been going with Sean that it could be possible. I mean he has all ready hit me. I should have gotten out then." Liz said starting to cry.  
  
"Maria, he's going to save me. He's my angel. And we need to find him." Liz said through strangled tears.  
  
"Do you even know where he is? Wait what am I saying! Liz honey I love you, you know that. But this is crazy. I mean you said it was in your dream. So how do you know that this Max guy coming in and telling you all of this wasn't part of your dream as well. I mean face it Chica you do have a very vivid imagination." Maria said with a smile trying to get Liz to cheer up.  
  
"Maria I do, I know what you are saying but I've been over this. He's real. And he lives in Roswell, New Mexico. I'm going there and its up to you whether you want to come or not." Liz said getting off of the bed and pulling her suitcase out from underneath it.  
  
"Liz woah. Hold up girl. You want to leave now!? What about our classes, what about our jobs?"  
  
"Who cares. I'm getting out of here and now. The way I see it is that Roswell is about an hour and a half away from here. We go there now. Find a cheap hotel check in, stay the night. Get up bright and early the next morning and find my Ang-Max."  
  
"Fine. But let me make one thing perfectly clear to you. There will be no such thing as 'bright and early'." Maria said with a laugh as she walked out of Liz's room and down the hall to hers to start packing for what was sure to be one of the most interesting trips she would ever have.  
  
TBC 


	5. Chap 4b Max's Wake

- Inside my Mind Part 4b (Max's wake) -  
  
-Evans residence, 2:30AM-  
  
  
  
Max awoke from Liz's dream with a start. But he was quickly taken back to reality when he noticed someone in his room; sitting at his desk. When his eyes could finally focus he realized who it was.  
  
"Isabel? What are you doing in my room at this hour in the morning?"  
  
"So sue me Max. I'm not gonna pay for this kind of entertainment! So what happened?"  
  
"What do you mean 'What happened'. How long have you been sitting there!"  
  
"Cool your jets Maxwell. Not like I come in here every night. Its just that I wanted to be the first to know what happened."  
  
"Isabel, who else am I going to tell? 'Hey Mom I was walking around in this girls subconscious last night, but the strange part is that it was real, its pretty crazy what alien powers will due to your life huh?" Max said in a sarcastic voice.  
  
"Ha ha ha, so tell me!"  
  
"Ok fine. It worked I was there in the same dream as always. But this time I did something about it. I changed it. Now Liz knows and all is well."  
  
"Liz who's Liz?"  
  
"That's her name, Liz. She lives in Las Cruces, and I told her what was going to happen. I'm pretty sure she believed me. But she kept calling me an Angel. How I am I going to break it to her that I'm just your average alien." Max said with a laugh, at the thought of actually telling someone of his actual not so human origins.  
  
"YOUR GOING TO TELL HER!"  
  
"Well yeah I mean this is kinda unexplainable to her right now and I don't want to add more chaos to her life by not explaining it."  
  
"Yeah Max, because I'm sure that telling her your an alien won't effect her at all." Isabel said in an obvious voice. 'Max was so hard to reason with when he got like this.'  
  
"Then what am I supposed to say to her Isabel?"  
  
"What do you mean say to her. I thought this was it you told her that the homicidal guy was after her, she knows now, end of story. No need to tell her anything further, right?"  
  
"No. Not right I have to see this through, Isabel. Is it just me or are you suddenly hungry?" Max asked trying to change the subject as he made his way down the hall and to the kitchen.  
  
"MAXWELL! Don't think that your going to get out of telling me your plan!" Isabel screamed still in Max's room.  
  
"I'm not getting out of anything Iz. I'm just hungry." He shouted back to her.  
  
"Fine then Max. What's the plan?" Isabel said now standing next to him.  
  
"Shit!" Max said as Isabel's new presence startled him. "I don't exactly have 'a plan' just yet. I figured I'd take it one day at a time. See what happens. I'll check up on her tonight."  
  
"Spoken like a true king." Isabel said with a knowing look.  
  
"Ok, ok I'll think of a plan. Why are plans so important anyways, I mean don't they usually just complicate things?" Max said as he finished the final touches on his sandwich and took the first bite.  
  
"No, plans simplify things. So either you come up with one or I'm out." Isabel said as she walked back to her room to leave Max and his sandwich alone to come up with the all mighty plan.  
  
Max tried for a few hours to come up with a legit plan that he could present to the 'Ice princess'. But every time he'd get on his train of thought he'd quickly roll off the tracks with a new thought about Liz. He might have invaded her dream, but she had invade his mind, and he couldn't get the thoughts of her out of his head.  
  
TBC 


	6. Chap 5 Breaking Ties

- Inside my Mind Part 5 –  
  
-Deluca/Parker residence 4:30AM-  
  
  
  
"Oh god you have the check list." Maria said as she noticed Liz with pad and pen in hand.  
  
"Hey, there are certain things we need to do before we just pick up and leave. Like call Alex, and work, and ..."  
  
"And here I was thinking for once in your life you were actually being spontaneous." Maria said rolling her eyes and putting her last bag in the trunk of her 92' red Volkswagen Jetta that her Mom had finally given to her when she moved out of the house.  
  
"Ok Liz, what is on there that I have to do?" Maria asked now looking over Liz's shoulder at the list.  
  
"You, need to call Alex and leave a message on his machine, since we both know the phone will not wake him up, and if it does we will get an hour long lecture about road safety. Also you are to call your Mom tell her that we are going on a mini vacation and that if she needs you to call the cell.... I think that's it for you." Liz said as she left Maria and went to her duties that she had to get done before they could leave.  
  
Liz went to her room and sitting at her desk pulled out some paper and started to write Sean a letter. She didn't want to just up and leave with out any explanations, but she couldn't exactly tell him the truth either. So she settled for the in-between, how she felt about their situation before everything with Max came into the picture.  
  
Dear Sean,  
  
I know things haven't been exactly going great with us lately. Some fights have gotten out of hand, and I know that we have both said things that we didn't mean. But I think that the best thing for both of us right now would just be to take a break from this, give us both a chance to get some space. I hope you understand why I have made this decision, and that we can come to be friends later on in life. Thank you for all of the wonderful times we did have, I take those memories to heart.  
  
Love,  
  
Elizabeth Parker  
  
  
  
Liz sat back to read over what she had written, once satisfied she took the letter and laid it on her pillow. Hoping that when Sean did come to the apartment next he would find her letter.  
  
Now that that was taken care of Liz went onto her next task at hand calling her and Maria's boss.  
  
1 'RING, RING, RING'  
  
"Hello". asked the person on the other line.  
  
"Oh, Mrs. Vandermeir I was hoping to get your machine. But I'm afraid that Maria and I won't be able to make it into work till next Friday. You see my Aunt, that Maria and I are very close to has fallen deathly ill and is in the hospital down in Roswell. We were hoping that if it was Ok with you that we go be with her one last time, and to say our good-byes."  
  
"Oh Liz, dear. I'm so sorry to hear that. Yes. Of course you and Maria go down and see her right away. You two girls be safe on the way there and I'll see you next week. Give your aunt my best."  
  
"Thank you, Mrs. Vandermeir. Will do." Liz said as she hung up.  
  
"Ok Maria we have the next week off from work, I figure that should give us plenty of time."  
  
"Yes, Alex I understand that you think that two young women should not be traveling by themselves.... No I promise that we won't stop at any rest stops along the way." Maria said in her most annoyed voice possible as she walked into Liz's room talking to Alex on her cell phone.  
  
"What happened to just leaving a message." Liz taunted as she knew how protective Alex could get over them.  
  
"I KNOW" Maria mouthed to Liz as she was still being lectured by Alex on the other end of the line.  
  
"But, Alex what if the hitchhiker is really, really hot." Maria teased.  
  
"I DON'T CARE IF HES HOT OR NOT NO HITCHKIERS!" Liz could hear Alex yell through the phone.  
  
"But I said really, really hot." Maria teased back.  
  
"MARIA!"  
  
"Alex, calm down Liz and I are going to be fine on this trip. Promise. And every time we even think of stop to go pee we will remember your warning and stay in the car.... I love you too, we'll call you when we get there." Maria finally hung up the phone and turned to Liz.  
  
"We ever go out of town with out him again YOU are the one calling to tell him."  
  
"Promise." Liz said with a sympathetic smile.  
  
"Ok everything is in the car except for us. So lets get out of here."  
  
"Yeah I'm right behind you." Maria said as she followed Liz out the door and to the car. Liz getting in the passenger side and Maria in the drivers seat. Both putting on their seatbelts and ready to go.  
  
"K remind me again why we are doing this." Maria said turning to look at Liz, for the final answer before they left to follow her best fiends dreams to Roswell.  
  
"Because if we don't I will never have closure in my life. I need to go there to meet him and find out why and how this happened, I believe that Sean would do that and I curse my self for having to have a complete stranger tell me before it hit me. But I need to know how he knew if he doesn't even know me." Liz said all in one breath finally getting it all out.  
  
"Right." Maria said as she took the final step and turned the key in the ignition and pulled out of the apartment complex onto the open road heading towards Roswell, New Mexico.  
  
TBC 


	7. Chap 6 Now Entering Roswell

- Inside my Mind part 6 –  
  
  
  
Isabel tried to go to sleep that night but the thought of her brother telling a complete stranger that him and his sister and their friend Michael weren't exactly of this planet just wasn't sitting well with her. The images in her mind were going out of control with thoughts of the FBI or some other secret operation with the government finding them, prodding them, dissecting them and in the end after many years of long, painful research finally exterminating them. She just couldn't sit there and let her life be ran over by Max.  
  
So Isabel got dressed, snuck out her of bedroom window and ran the 5 miles all the way to their dear friend Michael's apartment.  
  
[knock, knock, knock,]  
  
"MICHAEL I know your in there so open up!" Isabel hollered through the shut door.  
  
The door finally opened with a half asleep Michael on the other side. "Isabel! What do you want at this hour?"  
  
"Michael, you have to help me Max has lost it he wants to tell someone that we are-" As Michael quickly realized what she was about to say he put his hand over her mouth and looped the other around her waist to pull her into his apartment.  
  
"Hey, what was that for!"  
  
"What was that for? Here you are bitching about Max wanting to tell our secret and you just about blurted it out for all of my neighbors to hear!"  
  
"Oh, yeah sorry.... But you don't understand Michael he wants to tell someone. He's been like sharing these dreams with this girl, Liz. He wants to tell her that we are .. 'otherworldly'." Isabel said as she raised her hands to put the quotations in the air around her words. "You have to help me, you have to tell him what a train wreck of a plan this is!"  
  
"Iz, calm down. We will work this out. Where is Max now?"  
  
"Last time I saw him I had left him in the living room. I told him to come up with a plan figuring that, that would bye us some time."  
  
"I've taught you so well." Michael said in total self satisfaction.  
  
"Yeah yeah, so what are we going to do?"  
  
"We just have to sit down and talk to him about this, maybe he will see what we are trying to say and come to a reasoning."  
  
"What if he doesn't?"  
  
"Then we will have to think of something else. But for now lets just hope that this works." Michael looked over at his microwave to see what time it was.  
  
"You can stay here tonight, I'll take the couch and we can talk to Max tomorrow afternoon. Sound good?"  
  
"Yeah sure. I'll see you in the morning." Isabel said as she walked over to Michael's room and fell down into his bed muttering about how she was going to tell him later that clean sheets would be a plus. She quickly fell to sleep with the thoughts of tomorrows events running through her head, but not having any clue as to what could effect it.  
  
-------------------------------------------  
  
  
  
(Deluca Car)  
  
  
  
"Liz, Liz wake up!"  
  
"Oh god, what is it Maria?"  
  
"You have to help me!"  
  
"Why what happened!?" Liz asked starting to get worried as she tried to rub the sleep out of her eyes.  
  
"The radio is broken, I can't roll down my window, and I have to pee really bad."  
  
"Well that's quiet a situation you got yourself into there." Liz said trying not to laugh to hard.  
  
"Liz, I'm serious, and if you don't quite laughing then I will start singing the song."  
  
"Oh god Maria not THE song." Liz said in a sarcastic voice. "Please someone save me from THE song."  
  
"Fine, fine you just remember you asked for this Chica."  
  
"Little bunny fu fu hopping down the forest scooping up the field mice and bopping them on the head.... Down comes the fairy god mother and she says ... little bunny fu fu I don't want to see you-."  
  
"Holly shit Maria!" Liz said grabbing the steering wheel and trying to steady it out again. "YOU are not allowed to sing that song and drive at the same time if you can't refrain from doing the hand motions to it."  
  
"Come on Lizzy the whole point of that song is the hand motions." Maria tried to demonstrate by making her bunny ears again.  
  
"Maria no more bunny fu fu while you are driving."  
  
"Well I won't be driving much longer we are here." Maria proclaimed as they finally reached the sign that stated "Now entering Roswell City Limits."  
  
TBC... 


	8. Chap 7a Hotel Check In

1 Inside my mind  
  
Part 7a: Hotel Check In -  
  
Sunshine Inn Motel, Roswell, New Mexico, 6:00AM –  
  
After Liz and Maria had checked into the hotel for the week. They went up to their room and started unpacking their luggage. Maria finished first and collapsed on the bed that she had chosen for herself.  
  
"Maria, we don't have time to take a nap." Liz said as she noticed her friends state on the bed.  
  
"Yeah, easy for you to say you slept all the way here." Maria said turning over so that her words were muffled by the pillows she was laying on.  
  
"Come on Ria, we have to find Max. I'll go down stairs and get a phone book. Maybe we will get lucky and he'll be listed."  
  
"Whatever." Maria said as she heard the hotel door close and Liz walking down the hallway before sleep claimed her.  
  
------------------  
  
Liz made her way back to their room an hour later with coffee and the phone book in hand.  
  
"Maria, rise and shine." Liz said shaking her friend to wake.  
  
"Liiiiizzz" Maria whined. "They were just about to go swimming." Maria said graugely as she rolled over to be greeted with a cup of coffee.  
  
"Who was just about to go swimming?" Liz asked in a taunting voice.  
  
"What? Oh uh no one. This for me?" Maria asked changing the subject.  
  
"Yeah." Liz said with a knowing smile. "I got the phone book and he's not listed. But there are two other Evans listed here, ones a Phillip Evans and the other is John Evans. So I'm hoping that maybe he lives with his parents."  
  
"So your saying that we are going to call these people up and ask if they know of a Max Evans?"  
  
"Actually we are going to knock on their door. And ask if they know of a Max Evans." Liz said matter of factly.  
  
"Wait wait why don't we just call them. Makes it so much easier, besides what if he doesn't live at either house? Or what if he does but he's not home." Maria said trying to think of more excuses.  
  
"Maria, face it you are going to have to get out of bed sometime today." Liz said starting to tickle her friends side.  
  
"I will I just don't want to right now." Maria tried to say through giggles.  
  
"Come on get up, shower, for gods sake brush your teeth, and then we'll go man searching." Liz said as she stopped tickling her near sister.  
  
"OK OK I'm up. But you do realize that this warrants a really long nice hot shower." Maria aid dreamily as she went to gather her toiletries.  
  
"Good luck. There's no hot water." Liz said in a sympathetic tone.  
  
"Awwwe." Maria said as she shut the bathroom door and hopped into the shower.  
  
TBC 


	9. Chap 7b Map to her Heart

1 Inside my Mind  
  
Part 7a: Map to her Heart –  
  
As Maria pulled up to the first of the two houses that they had to travel to, they studied it very carefully. The green grass that glistened with water drops from its previous watering. The small, yet humble home in the suburbs of the small town.  
  
Maria parked the car on the curb and waited for Liz to make the first move.  
  
"Ok, you wait here. I'll go see if this is by chance the right place." Liz directed as she unbuckled her seat belt, and went to open the car door.  
  
"Fine." Maria pouted. "But if this is his house you better come right back out here and get me."  
  
Liz walked up the path that lead to the doorway.  
  
[KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK]  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hi, I'm Liz Parker. I'm looking for a Max Evans does he live here?" Liz asked the worn women that answered the door on the third knock. The women looked the young lady standing on the other side of her door, who was wearing a pair of jeans that cuffed at the bottom and a black top that fit her petite curves well, up and down as she wiped her hands off on the rag that she had brought to the door with her.  
  
"Honey, you must not be from around here. Max Evans is one of the most prominate bachelors in the Roswell area." The women said matter of factly.  
  
"Oh." Liz said with evident shock in her voice. Not that she didn't find Max to be of 'greek god' quality. "Well do you happen to know where I could find him then?"  
  
"Yeah. Try the Evans house. Its about 3 blocks away. Just take this street [the women said pointing to the one in front of her house] and take a right onto Murray Lane. Its the big, 2 story white house right there on the corner."  
  
"OK, got it. Thank you so much for your help." Liz said gratefully.  
  
"Your welcome, dear." The women said as she turned into her house closing the door behind her.  
  
Liz walked back to the car. And told Maria where they were heading now, and what was said between her and the women.  
  
"The most 'Prominate bachelor' huh." Maria said in satisfaction. As she drove her friend the their next destination. Maria pulled up and parked in front of the house that the women had described to Liz. She turned off the car and looked at Liz.  
  
"So this is it."  
  
"Yeah." Liz breathed as she unbuckled her seat belt. "Maria, I know you don't want to hear this... but I want to go up there alone. I want to talk to him for the first time and see him in person for the first time alone." Liz said hesitantly as she turned back to look at Maria.  
  
"I know you do. I'll be here when you get back. But if anything goes wrong in there you better high tail it right back out here, got it?" Maria stated more seriously than she had expected to.  
  
"Yes Alex." Liz mimicked. She kissed Maria on the cheek and opened the passenger door, swung both legs out of the car and started her way up the cement path that was lined with bright red and yellow flowers all the way to the front door. Where she paused before she knocked. To take that final moment to gather her thoughts before she saw Max for the first time.  
  
[knock, knock]  
  
Liz heard light footsteps come to the door, and her heart pounded faster as she saw the knob turn--.  
  
TBC 


	10. Chap 7c Introductions?

1 A/N: Just for disclaimer purposes and well incase you were wondering. I use the song Mary Jane by Alanis Motsette in this part.  
  
2  
  
3  
  
4 Inside my Mind  
  
Part 7c: Introductions -  
  
The knob turned and Liz felt the butterflies in her stomach multiply at that moment, the door opened and standing on the other side was Max. There was know denying it Liz knew that it was Max.  
  
Max was shocked to say the least when he opened the door expecting it to be another pesky sales person, but instead found Liz waiting on the other side.  
  
"Liz, hi... what are you doing here? Whats wrong?" Max asked as he looked at her with concern evident in his eyes and voice.  
  
"No. Nothings wrong I just needed to see you. To meet you." Liz said relieved that she didn't have to go through any introductions.  
  
"Oh. Well then please come in." Max said placing a hand on the small of her back and following her inside. Shutting the door behind him.  
  
------------------------  
  
"Well it's full speed baby  
  
In the wrong direction  
  
There's a few more bruises  
  
If that's the way  
  
You insist on heading"  
  
Maria sung along to her favorite Alanis CD, patiently awaiting her friends encouragement to come inside the house and meet her mystery man.  
  
5  
  
6  
  
7 "Please be honest  
  
Mary Jane Are you happy  
  
Please don't censor your tears"  
  
Michael noticed the Red Jetta parked next to the curb of the Evans house as he pulled around the corner still about 20 feet away. He let Isabel out of the car so that she could hop the fence and sneak back in the window that she came out of last night.  
  
"Michael, you come in the house in about 10 minutes. Just in case Max is already awake." Isabel said as she shut the door to his new black Dodge truck. And started walking towards the fence.  
  
Michael had ten minutes to burn so he decided to go inspect the unfamiliar car. As he got closer he heard music coming from the cars radio. It was a sweet melody. Then when the lyrics started he heard an even sweeter voice, singing along.  
  
"You're the sweet crusader  
  
And you're on your way  
  
You're the last great innocent  
  
And that's why I love you"  
  
Michael decided to knock on the car door and see who the stranger was.  
  
[knock, knock]  
  
"Holly Shit!" Maria cursed as the knock on her car window scared her. She looked over to where the knock came from to find an incredibly gorgeous man standing and waiting for her to acknowledge him.  
  
Maria reached over to the passenger side that he was standing on and rolled down the car window. When the window was finally rolled down she looked up to meet his eyes. She was caught off guard by how truly handsome and unique he was.  
  
"Can I help you?" Maria asked.  
  
"Actually, I was going to ask you the same question." Michael stated simply. Marveling in how gorgeous she was, her long blonde spiraled hair was clipped back with a few strands escaping to frame her beautiful face.  
  
"Oh. Well no I'm good." Maria said suddenly getting nervous.  
  
"OK." Michael said back, still wondering who she was and why she was there. "So are you waiting for someone or something?"  
  
"Yes. Actually my friend is inside that house there... she's visiting a friend I guess you could say." Maria answered with a smile, trying to imagine what Liz was doing or saying in there right now.  
  
"Really. That's weird Isabel never said anything about company this morning." Michael said more to himself than to her.  
  
"Isabel? My friend was actually looking for a Max Evans."  
  
"Max and company those are two things I haven't heard in a long while." Michael joked. "So what's your friends name, well for that matter what's yours?" Michael reached his hand out to her through the car window. "I'm Michael Guerin."  
  
"Nice to meet you Michael I'm Maria Deluca." She said shaking his incredibly big hands.  
  
"I'm here with my friend Liz Parker, were visiting from Las Cruces." Maria finished and let go of his hand.  
  
[Liz Parker] as soon as Michael heard the name he flashed back to the previous night in his apartment when Isabel came to him in hysterics about Max wanting to tell their secret to someone named... Liz.  
  
After Maria had let go of his hand he turned and started for the house at a quick pace.  
  
"Wait where are you going?" Maria hollered from the car.  
  
When she didn't get a response she quickly took the keys from the car and opened the door she ran up the walk after him. Catching up to him just as he opened the door and rushed inside. Maria followed him through the door and shut it behind her.  
  
"Michael?" Max said as he saw his friend rush in the room. Max quickly stood from the couch that he had been sharing with Liz.  
  
Liz saw Maria come from the same direction that Max's friend just had.  
  
"Maria!" Liz said surprised to see her in the house. Liz too stood, now next to Max.  
  
TBC 


	11. Chap 7d The Truth

Inside my Mind  
  
Part 7d: The Truth  
  
"Michael what's wrong, what happened?" Max questioned.  
  
"Gee what ever could be the problem, how bout the fact you are about ready to compromise our very existence!" Michael near shouted in frustration.  
  
"Michael. What... no... calm down." Max said walking towards his closest friend. "Lets go talk about this." Max said leading the way with his hand towards the kitchen. Michael followed Max's on stretched hand toward the kitchen. After Max saw that Michael was out of ear shot he turned to Liz and Maria.  
  
"Nice to meet you Maria is it?" Max said shaking her hand.  
  
Maria nodded in confirmation.  
  
"Liz, I need to deal with this, but I'll be right back."  
  
"Take your time." Liz said with an encouraging nod towards the kitchen.  
  
Max walked solemnly to the kitchen awaiting the death match he was about to enter. As Max walked in he took in note Michael's protective stance and tried to make his voice as soothing and controlled as possible.  
  
"Michael, I don't know what you've heard about the situation or how. But nothing has been said. Yet."  
  
"What do you mean 'YET' Maxwell!" Michael said his voice rising yet again.  
  
"I mean... that I think, no I know I want to tell her."  
  
"What makes you so sure that her first instinct isn't going to be to call in the troops and have us experimented on for the rest of our lives!" Michael stated bluntly, his voice excluding even more. To the point that Max was positive that the girls in the living room could hear him.  
  
"Michael lower your voice. Or you will be the one spilling the secret." Max's tone changing to a hushed whisper. "Look I'm not saying that I'm going to go out there right now and reveal it all--."  
  
"Then what are you saying Max. Because frankly I'm getting sick of this shit!" Michael interrupted.  
  
"That I think that given time I could trust her with this. That she's the type of person that would understand and take it to heart to protect us." Max said in a dreamy tone.   
  
"God help us all you've fallen for her." Michael said in a discusted tone.  
  
TBC


	12. Chap 7e Debates

1 Inside my Mind  
  
  
  
"What? Fallen for.... thats so..." Max tried to think of an excuse to put his friend at ease.  
  
"Yeah Max you've fallen for her. And I bet you anything her and her little fiesty friend are out there right now discussing how shes head over heals for you." Michael said matter of factly.  
  
====================  
  
Evans Living room –  
  
"No way! She was so much more popular after the second alblum, I mean look at her now she has her own pepsi commercial for crying out loud!" Maria said trying to prove her battle with Liz that Britney Spears was more popular after the second alblum than the first.  
  
"Oh pleeease how can you not tell me that every guy in the world didn't picture her in that slutty school girl outfit. Thats what made her.... the male hormoin." Liz said knowingly.  
  
"But what about.... Yeah well." Maria stuck out her tounge when she didn't find the right retourt for their discussion.  
  
"Nice come back Deluca." Liz commented.  
  
"Always works for me." Maria said smiling.  
  
Michael entered the room with a Pepsi in hand and Max not far behind him. Max walked over to the couch that Maria and Liz were sharing and took his seat as before, next to Liz. Michael sat across from the three in the arm chair.  
  
"Sorry to have taken so long ladies." Max offered for their absence.  
  
"It's fine Max. Maria and I were in the middle of a very important debate." Looking between the two men Liz saw tension in both of them, figuring that their discussion hadn't gone well she decided to let it be at that, and ask questions later.  
  
The room was stuck in a dead silence for what seemed like ages. Maria would look over to Liz who would give her an enthusiastic nod. She'd look at Max and he would just smile and turn his glance back to Liz. Whenever she'd look towards the man sitting across from her in the chair he'd quickly look away. So she of course decided to break the ice.  
  
"So how did your pow-wow go?" Maria asked the two guys.  
  
"Maria!" Liz said hurridly.  
  
"What?" Maria asked dumbfoundely looking to Liz for the answer.  
  
"I think your friend is trying to keep your nose out of our business." Michael commented not even looking up from his glare at the black TV screen.  
  
Maria getting rather annoyed with his attitude "So do you have some sort of power to turn that thing on or are you just using wishful thinking."  
  
Michael quickly deverted his attention to Max searching his face for any confirmation that she might know of what they were. Seeing that he was half laughing at her comment Michael ventured to retourt back.  
  
"Actually I was trying to void my eyes of the shirt you are weearing, I'd like to keep my sight." Michael said looking up to meet her fiery eyes long enough to speak and then return his tention towards the blank TV screen.  
  
"Why I oughta..." Maria said motining to stand but to be pulled back in her seat by Liz.  
  
"What you oughta do is stay here." Liz said.  
  
"Please for the love of my sanity Michael stop bickering with every girl that you find to be attractive, really does you no good." Michael looking up to find the all to familiar voice coming from Isabel, glared at her knowingly.  
  
"How long have you been standing there?"  
  
"Long enogh to pick up your game plan, long enough Guerin." Isabel said knowingly as she sat down on the arm of his chair.  
  
Deciding to acknowledge the company she just put down "So I see we have company Max?"  
  
"Yeah, Liz, Maria this is my sister Isabel." Max said jestering towards her. "Isabel, this is Liz and Maria." Max stated jestering to each one in turn.  
  
"And what are you ladies doing here?" Isabel asked in a snobbish tone. Full well knowing why they were here, and just who they were.  
  
"Well I uh... I've had these dreams and -."  
  
"Oh so your the dreamer huh?" Isabel asked interupting her explanation.  
  
"He told you?" Liz said obviously surprised.  
  
"Well why wouldn't he, he i my brother after all."  
  
"Well yes but. I mean its just that this situation is so bizare that I didn't think anyone would believe us. I mean this isn't just something that happens to me everyday. You know."  
  
"Well this is a first for us too."  
  
"Right. So I mean what should we do?" Liz asked suddenly looking to Isabel for all the answers.  
  
TBC 


	13. Chap 8 The Chase Begins

Part 8  
  
"My god how long have they been in there!" Maria said dramatically as she fell back against the over stuffed couch in the Evans living room, patiently awaiting her friend's return.  
  
After they had discussed their slim to none options Isabel had decided that it was time to get down and personal with Liz, Max of course had volunteered to tag along. She had said that they needed to find out why her and why now and basically just how this was happening to them.  
  
Maria had been stuck in the small living room for more than an hour with the drone of a man they called Michael. She absolutely detested the way he'd look over at her ever so often, but then look away as soon as she caught his glance. It was driving her mad and she didn't know how much more she could take of it.  
  
========================  
  
Alex heard the smack of the other man's large, callused hand against the wall in frustration yet again.  
  
"Look Whitman either you tell me where she is or your face will be my new wall." Sean threatened with a harsh tone. Alex knew that he wasn't just talking big, that he was actually crazy enough to try and hit the details of Liz's sudden out of town venture, out of him.  
  
"Sean I told you that I don't know where they went, hitting me won't change that." When the truth of the matter was Alex knew exactly where they were, hell he could give Sean detailed instructions of how to get to their hotel. But he never would, especially not when he was like this. The five tenish, bulky, in need of a shave and bath, man that stood in front of him trying to threaten him with physical violence to get information out of him was obviously drunk. Or he would know that if the occasion called for it Alex could surely take him.  
  
"Fine you wanna play it that way. I will get another source to find her, and when I do you'll be sorry." Sean said completely convinced with himself, and stormed out of Alex's apartment slamming the door behind him with a mad rage. One that Alex knew only Liz could provoke. Why she still put up with it was beyond him. Alex would have gladly pulverized the lunatic she claimed to love long ago, if it hadn't been for how he knew Sean was and could be again, but he too was blinded by who Sean was now. No one could change that.  
  
============================  
  
Sean walked fast with the disgust of his anger down the clean gray carpeted stairs of Alex's apartment complex and out of the large oak door. When suddenly it hit him. Liz's boss would know where she was, Liz had to of called into request time off. Or if not Liz then Maria. As he rounded the corner he spotted a pay phone booth. After he recognized what it was his quick pace became a run as he jolted towards it in self satisfaction for his clever thoughts.  
  
Sean fished around in his pocket for the 35 cents it required to make the call. With no luck he finally put two quarters in the slot. He quickly dialed the number and asked for Mrs. Vandermeir.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
Sean automatically sobering up his voice, "Yes, Mrs. Vandermeir. This is Sean Orbock. I was asked to pick up some papers for Liz Parker while she was away, and was wondering when a good time to do that would be?"  
  
"Oh, would you tell the dear not to fret. I have all of her work covered. You Make sure to tell her to have a good time in Roswell, I know that it will be tuff for her to say good b-"  
  
[Click]  
  
After Sean had gotten the information he needed he hung up the phone abruptly.  
  
"Hunting the 'little green men' are we Parker?"  
  
======================  
  
[Ring, ... Ring.... Ring]  
  
"Hello." Maria answered her cell phone.  
  
"Maria I'm sending you a warning, Sean knows Liz is out of town, and he's trying to find out where you went. I don't know how successful he will be but I thought that you should know all the same." Alex said his tone rendering on the brink of concern and uncertainty.  
  
"Should of known that was coming." Maria muttered to herself more then to her friend on the other line. "I can't think of anyone else that would know where we are. So I don't think we should tell Liz. It would just give her more to worry about."  
  
"Well that's up to you. But as long as you know that he knows your gone." Alex's voice suddenly changed to a very soft uplifting one. "Ria, you just be on the look out you never know with him and I don't want anything to happen to you or Liz."  
  
"I know Alex." Maria said returning the tone. "We will be."  
  
"Love you too. Bye." Maria said hanging up the phone and sighing loudly.  
  
"Boyfriend?" Michael inquired.  
  
"Why. Jealous." Maria retorted.  
  
"Hardly." He said in a nonchalant tone. All though he really was. This little Pixie had been inticeing him all day. Her eyes were a metallic green, and they danced across his face every time she looked at him. It was like she was reading his soul. But he hardly thought she had noticed, she probably has that same effect on everyone.  
  
"So... what are we not telling Liz?" He asked in a mocking voice.  
  
Her eyes widened in surprise as she took a big gulp. Ultimately knowing that he would never let her off the hook, or forget the conversation,"We?"  
  
"Yeah we. That is in less of curse you want me to go tell Liz about 'Alex' is it?" Michael said starting to stand motioning towards the room that they were all meeting in.  
  
"NO!" Maria shrieked the sudden loudness of her voice surprising even herself. "No." She said more calmly, looking up into his dark hazel eyes. "Please Michael." She pleaded with him in a soft vulnerable voice.  
  
She sure did know how to make his heart melt. He wouldn't even think of telling Liz now.  
  
"Maria, what's going on?" Michael stated the concern evident in his voice as he sat down next to her on the couch. Maria turned to face him. She looked at him so seriously that it scared him for what she was about to say.  
  
"Michael, I know you don't know this guy Sean that basically drove us here. But for that you should consider yourself lucky." She paused before what she was about to say. She knew Michael had been filled in on the details of Liz's dreams, but she was unclear as to at what extent. "Apparently, he now knows that Liz and I have left town. According to our friend Alex, he is determined to find out where we are. I can guarantee that if he does it won't be pretty around here." Maria said suddenly consumed with fear at remembering Sean and what he has done to Liz in the past, and the threat of her dreams for which he is obviously capable of acting out. Maria broke eye contact with Michael and bowed her head at the sudden onslaught of memories.  
  
Compassion; something that Michael rarely felt for anyone in less they were in a hospital bed dyeing for a noble cause, or an incurable disease, or if it was Max or Isabel. But when he looked at her it was just something that seemed to come naturally to him. He felt for her in a way that confused and frustrated him all that the same time, and yet again he seemed to enjoy it.  
  
He slightly pushed her chin up with his index finger so that her lovely blazing green eyes would meet his deep hazel ones again. "I promise you that I will keep you safe here, you have nothing to worry about."  
  
Somehow she knew that. She knew that he would. But it wasn't herself that she feared for it was her dearest friend Liz.  
  
"I know that Michael." She said with a generous smile. "Its not my self that I fear for. It's Liz."  
  
"Then why don't you tell her?" He offered trying and wanting to rid her of all her problems.  
  
"Because I don't want to give her anything else to worry about."  
  
Michael dropped his hand from where it had been resting on her shoulder to capture her hands with his own. "Then we will just have to work together to make sure that this Sean you all speak of never finds you here."  
  
Maria was completely entranced with this man. Before he had been all most vile to her. Then their on going banter had been more of a flirting technique, now here he was completely consoling her and pushing all of her fears away. She knew that Sean was still to be feared and not mistaken for the charming young man that he once was, but Maria was now convinced that if Michael was by her side she would be ok.  
  
TBC 


	14. Chap 9 Staying the night

A/N: Sorry this took so long I was on a little vacation. But here are the next 2 parts to the story. The song used here is by Tool, in case anyone was wondering. Enjoy! Please review!!!!  
  
Inside my Mind  
  
Part 13  
  
Sean sat in his chair and watched that night as Maria and Liz came in around 8:00, chatting about what they had done that day. He remembered how happy she had seemed, but he knew her better then that. It was all just a facade, an act. She could be nor would be happy with no one that wasn't he. Sure she could pretend, she could have her fun romps. But she would be back. She needed him. She couldn't live with out him, and he would see to that.  
  
Now a little past 1:00 in the morning. As Sean crept down the long, dark corridor to their room.  
  
--You crawled away from me.  
  
Slipped away from me--.  
  
He picked the lock on their door and quietly snuck in shutting the door silently behind him. The room was dark, except for the moonlight that filtered in from the small window.  
  
--I tried to keep ahold,  
  
but there was nothing I could say. --  
  
He walked over to the side of Liz's bed, looking down at her all the pain, hatred, and love that he had built up for her over the past three years came to the surface and reared its ugly head.  
  
--You slid and crept away  
  
and tired to keep you down  
  
but there was nothing I could say. --  
  
He strode over to the small table taking the pad and pen that were all ready there and began his letter to Liz.  
  
--So what you're trying to say  
  
is you don't wanna play. --  
  
Reflecting back on all the times they shared together, the good the bad and the in-betweens. He'd always been there for her. No matter what Maria tried to convince her to think he was always there, and that wasn't going to change. He loved her. He would have her back, she was his. He'd done nothing wrong, she had no reason to leave and she was coming home. Where she belonged, with him. Whether she liked it or not. She would return.  
  
--But what you want and what you need  
  
doesn't mean fuck to me. --  
  
He folded the letter. Walking silently over to her, he put the note down next to her on the pillow. The pillow that he should be sleeping on, next to her. Looking at her right now the way she had looked so many times before through his eyes. Her hair all tosseled and messy, her body spread out on the bed reminded him of all the times they had shared in his bed together. So many times had they been together, but then it just stopped. She turned away from him. She once liked to be kissed hard and liked having him be rough with her. Now here she was with a man who would never touch her the way he did, he couldn't. She was his, no one could treat his like that.  
  
--Because I can see your back is turning.  
  
If I could I'd stick the knife in. --  
  
Sean walked to the door, taking one last look back towards her. She would pay for what she had put him through. He would show her what it felt like to be useless, used, and rejected. Then he would have her back, she would be his again. If only she could see that they were meant to be. No one else could love her as he did. Treat her the way she wanted to be treated. All those tears she shed, they were for him. For knowing what she'd lost, but he was back he was here. She needed him, someone to keep her inline when she acted up. Teach her her lessons. Tell her where she stood, and what to do and think, Liz needed that, needed him.  
  
--This is love. This is love.  
  
This is my love for you.  
  
This is my love for you.  
  
This is my love for you.  
  
This is my LOVE.  
  
Say you won't go. --  
  
She would be his again. No matter what it took. With that he closed their room door and walked slowly back down to his room. Imagining what she would feel and think when she read his letter, the pain, the fear, the hatred. Everything that he had felt towards her. Revenge was sweet, and it was his.  
  
--------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Liz woke the next morning turning over to bury her head in the pillow next to her, to shut out the sound that the evil alarm clock was sending off. But there was interference. She looked down to find a piece of folded paper. She sat up in bed taking the note from the pillow and reading it silently to herself.  
  
When Liz had woke this morning she was happy, overjoyed, the dream she had about Max had made her feel so content. Then she saw the letter and knew that all of her troubles were back again.  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Maria and Liz sat in the small diner that they had met Max and Michael at the other day. Here they were again waiting for them. They'd planned yesterday to meet up for breakfast today. The three of them had no idea what they were about to find out. Liz hadn't told anyone of the letter yet. She decided to wait till they were all there so she'd only have to say it once. Telling everyone with Max by her side made it easier as well.  
  
Max strode into the diner about ten minutes late. Searching out the girls and then quickly going over to their table. He took a seat next to Liz with and an aggravated Maria sitting across from them.  
  
"Where is Michael?" She asked pointedly.  
  
"Hey don't look at me." Max replied putting his hand up in front of him in defense.  
  
"He better get here soon, we have to discuss those paintings still." She said hottedly folding her arms in front of her. "If he thinks that he can get out of this—". Maria turned her head to the sound of the music indicating a new customer. Nope not Michael. "ARGG! Where is he!"  
  
Ignoring Maria, Max turned to Liz. Noticing that she'd been quiet ever since he got there.  
  
"Liz are you ok?" Max whispered to her. Rubbing his hand over her thigh, to let her know that he was here for her.  
  
"Yeah. I'm fine." She lied. She really did want to wait until everyone had gotten there. "Michael is coming right?"  
  
"Yeah. He said he'd be here." Max replied. He knew something was up.  
  
"Yeah he better be!" Maria interrupted.  
  
"He will be Maria. Give him a chance." Max said trying to calm her down.  
  
The door opened the music played and in walked Michael, only twenty minutes late. He walked over to their table. Before he even got the chance to sit down.  
  
"Where have you been?" Maria asked, obviously frustrated that he was late.  
  
"Is that how you welcomed everyone, or am I just special?" He asked taking a seat next to her.  
  
"Well everyone else wasn't twenty minutes late." She remarked, with fire in her eyes. Michael loved getting to her like this, that was the hull point of him being late.  
  
"I have something to say." Liz announced.  
  
Here it comes Max knew something wasn't right.  
  
Liz got the letter from out of her back pocket and handed it to Max. "I found that on my pillow this morning." After reading the letter this morning all Liz wanted to do was cry, and scream. But she couldn't she had to stay strong.  
  
Max read the letter over and then passed it to Maria. Who held it so that her and Michael could both read it.  
  
Words didn't need to be spoken, the letter was to much. It spoke of killing her if she didn't come back. Starting with her friends so that she would have no one left to turn to but him. It was to much, to much for Max to comprehend. How could she get involved with someone like this, who would even think of doing this to anyone! Especially someone he claimed to love.  
  
Max took Liz into a hug and they just sat there like that. Holding onto each other. "You're staying with me tonight." Max whispered in her ear. She just nodded her head in agreement. Liz knew that if she spoke right now, she'd start crying. That wasn't an option right now. Sean had been in her room. He could be anywhere right now watching them. She refused to give him the satisfaction of letting him see her cry, again.  
  
TBC 


	15. Chap 10 Below the Surface

A/N: Wow, so its been all most 2 years since I've updated this story. I know that's an incredibly long time. I've been reading an amazing fic here and it gave me the urge to try this out again. I never even posted all of this fic, I had written to pat 19. So I plan to post all the rest, and finish it. So please let me know, if anyone is reading this. Thanks.  
  
Inside my Mind  
  
Part 10  
  
Max heard the earth shattering scream he knew it was Liz and he knew why she was screaming. It broke his heart hearing her scream like that, screaming for her life. Just knowing that she saw the same thing he did, and what hurt him even more was the fact that he didn't save her.  
  
Max ran into the dimmed room to see Liz in a near state of shock with single tears running down her pale cheeks. Maria was holding her, trying to comfort her. While Isabel offered soothing words. When Liz saw Max she let the dam break, and she started crying uncontrollably. Max was at her side in an instance. Rubbing her back, trying to calm her.  
  
Max looked from Maria to Isabel. "Can I have a second with her, alone?"  
  
Maria and Isabel took the hint. "Lizzy, I'll be right outside if you need me." Maria offered her, as she exited the room.  
  
Maria and Isabel walked out into Michael's living room. To find him still asleep on the fold out bed that Max had come from.  
  
"How could he possibly sleep through all of this!" Maria was baffled by this man. With all of the screaming and the crying, he was still asleep.  
  
"You'd be surprised. If it gets serious he'll wake up." Was all Isabel had to say. As she went into the kitchen to make some coffee. "You want some coffee?" She asked as she started to search for the coffee beans.  
  
"No thanks. I'm good. I think the adrenaline will keep me energized just fine." She stated taking a seat on the fold out where Max had been sleeping.  
  
Isabel came out of the kitchen a few minutes later with a coffee mug in hand, and she sat across from Maria in the lay-z boy recliner. "Maria, what's this guy really like?" Isabel asked. Deciding to see what she had finally gotten involved in, Liz had tried to explain to her and Max earlier, but Isabel felt that because of Maxs presence she wasn't telling them everything.  
  
"You mean Sean?"  
  
"Yeah. I know that Max and Liz are sharing these dreams with him in them, but I... what's he like in real life. As a person. What's he done that's so awful.?"  
  
Maria thought about her question for a second. Then turned to look at the man sleeping next to her, and back to Isabel. Deciding to lay it all out there for her. She felt that Isabel had a right to know, she should know what has Liz and her fearing for their very lives.  
  
Well I guess the best place to start would be three years ago." Maria said reflecting back on the time. "That's when Liz and I met Sean, well Liz met him first. You see Liz was interning at this company that researched different 'phenomenon's' I guess you could call it." Maria said making quotations around her words and rolling her eyes.  
  
Isabel obviously took her as a non-believer. Boy was she in for a rude awakening, Isabel thought taking a drink of coffee from the dark blue mug.  
  
"Anyway. The owner noticed Liz and thought that she was a really nice girl, beautiful, and responsible... yadda yadda right. Well he sets Liz up with his nephew Sean." She said pausing to check that Isabel was still with her. Taking the affirmative nod she went on.  
  
"So Sean and Liz hit it off. Sean was a nice guy. But during the last year of their relationship. Sean ended up loosing his mother, several jobs, and friends, but ultimately finding alcohol and drugs as an escape." Maria paused trying to think of what to say next, or how to put what she had to say next.  
  
"Well I mean I would of all most felt sorry for the guy. If he hadn't turned on the one person that had been there for him through out everything. I mean you name it Liz was there for him. She did love him, as much as that would pain her to say it now."  
  
Through out the hull conversation Maria's voice had been at a level tone, and mostly calm. But when she remembered what he had done to her she couldn't help but to feel angry.  
  
"I don't know what happened exactly. Liz never wants to talk about it. But one night she went to see Sean, the next thing I know I get a phone call from the hospital telling me that Liz is there and in critical condition."  
  
"Oh my god." Isabel said in total disbelief. "Was she OK?"  
  
"No not really. Her right arm was broken, her eye was so many different colors from the bruises she couldn't even see out of it. Her lip was cut open. Her legs were bruised as well. At least that's what I saw when I got there." The tears that had built up in Maria's eyes were now spilling over and running down her face streaking her mascara, she couldn't help but to cry remembering what her friend had went through.  
  
"Maria." Isabel said in her most soothing voice. But she needed to know what else had happened. "Can you keep going?"  
  
Taking a deep breath to summon up her strength and to even out her voice Maria went on. "Liz was in a coma for two days. She hit her head really hard, the doctors thought that she had been thrown against a wall. Least that's where the neighbor of Sean's had found her, just lying there huddled in a ball against a wall, Sean just left her there to die. I guess now he wants to finish the job." Maria started sobbing. Her hull body was shaking and she lowered her head to her hands. She felt a big hand run up her back and then in a slow even circle and back down again. Maria knew it was Michael's touch. She turned around too look at him. When Michael saw her his heart caught in his throat, she had black tear stains down her face, her eyes were red and puffy from crying. "Your awake." She said surprised. Michael couldn't speak something like lie was burning in his throat and all he wanted to do was hurt whoever had caused her this much pain and sorrow. Michael wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to lay down next to him. She went willingly happy to accept the invitation into his embrace.  
  
Isabel couldn't help but to feel alone watching her near brother and new friend being so compassionate and caring towards one another. Also knowing full well that her brother and Liz were doing the same thing in the other room. Sure Isabel had had boyfriends, after all she was Isabel Evans. But right now she was alone. Sure she had Michael and Max now what she wanted was a soul mate, a person who would defy gravity just to be with her and make her dreams come true. Someone to hold her and comfort her when her day had gone wrong and all she wanted to do was cry. But rather, just to have someone who loved her and would be there to protect her. With those thoughts filling her head Isabel made herself comfortable in the recliner and drifted off to sleep. Listening to the calming words that Michael was using to try and put Maria at ease.  
  
As soon as Isabel an Maria had left the room Max took Liz in one swift movement into his warm embrace, and just let her cry. The strong sobs raked her frail body for nearly ten minutes before she had started to calm down. The sobs quietly subsided to murmurs and then her hurt and fear turned into the dry tear tracks than ran down her colorless cheeks.  
  
"I'm sorry." Max whispered into her hair as he laid against the bed with her head rested lightly on his all to human chest. He wished that he could tell her here and now that he would protect her. That he had his 'secret alien powers' and he knew how to use them. That she'd be safe with him. But he knew, she knew that he was there in her dream, and that he hadn't done anything to stop him from shooting her. He hoped and prayed that she knew that if that hadn't been a dream if it had been him controlling what he was doing, if it was real life he would of dodged that bullet for her without a moments hesitation.  
  
"For what Max?" She didn't really know why she asked she knew what he was thinking, but she also knew that right now, right here lying in his strong embrace was the safest that she had felt for a very long time.  
  
"For not dyeing for you. For not stopping him. For just standing there and letting you ...." His voice trailed off as he remembered what had happened. How real it had seemed. How close he had been to ultimate loss.  
  
"die?" She asked noticing the silence. "Max, it seemed so real. I felt it. I felt the bullet hit me, I felt the cold wetness from the fountain. I could feel the water go through my body. I could see my life, everything that had happened I watched it all go by me." Liz confessed as the tears started to line her eyes again and spill down her cheeks to dampen his shirt, once more.  
  
Max lifted her head so that he could meet her soft eyes. "Stop it." He commanded. "Its not going to happen. Not while I'm by your side."  
  
"I know that Max." She said trying to smile. To reassure him that she knew that if he was here she'd be safe. But she only had another five days with him. How could that ever be enough. Liz wanted to be with Max for this lifetime and the next. But if her dreams were true to what was to happen, then Sean would be the one to change all that.  
  
"Liz. There's something I have to tell you."  
  
TBC 


	16. Chap 11 The Morning After

Inside my mind  
  
Part 11  
  
Max looked down into Liz's soft amber eyes and he wanted to tell her, he wanted to say to her where he was from and that he could protect her. But he didn't know how she would react, what if she screamed, tried to hit him, stormed out of the room, never spoke – Max was ripped from his thoughts when Liz started to speak to him.  
  
"What is it Max?" Liz asked looking up into his deep eyes. She could see it written all over his face that what he wanted to tell her was big, and that he was afraid.  
  
Max hesitated, before he spoke. Now just wasn't the time. "I'm uh... I'm a doctor." Max said to her trying to think of something to say. As soon as he said it he saw Liz's face fall. She obviously knew that that wasn't what he was going to tell her. "So I mean if you were to ever on the slight off chance get hurt, I'm saying that I'd be there to heal you." Not the entire truth but he was getting closer.  
  
"Max, was that really what you were going to say?" He could see the disbelief on her face, hear it in her voice.  
  
"Yeah, that uh... yeah." He lied.  
  
Liz wasn't going to push the issue now. She was to tired and worn out and knew that it probably would not lead to the answer. She trusted that if he really wanted her to know then he would bring it up again. She just hoped that it would be sometime soon.  
  
"Ok, Doctor." Liz said half heartedly, and cuddled back down against his chest. Just listening and feeling the rise and fall of his even breathing, she quickly drifted off to sleep.  
  
Max knowing that the time would come again, and swearing to himself that when it did he would tell her. Soon drifted off to sleep as well, just content in having her by his side.  
  
It was a hot day to be out searching for people. Sean thought to himself as he made his way from the bus to the local hotel. He knew that there were only three hotels in Roswell, so Liz had to be staying at one of them. He decided to check into the middle priced one, figuring that Liz would have done the same. Not to mention that it was right off of the freeway that they would have taken into Roswell.  
  
After Sean got himself settled into his room he showered and changed clothes. So he would look more presentable. He had to play this act to a tee, no one could see through it or he would never find what he was looking for.  
  
He made his way to the front desk where he had earlier checked in for the week.  
  
"Sir, May I help you?" The clerk asked, seemingly agitated.  
  
"Yes. I was wondering if you have seen this girl around?" Sean asked stepping up to the desk and holding up to the man his only picture of Liz. "She's my sister. She ran away last week and I'm desperately trying to find her." Sean stated with fake concern in his voice.  
  
"No. Sir I'm sorry." The young man said. Turning and going back to his work.  
  
Shit, Sean thought. Then seeing the maid cleaning the glass panels on the front door decided to try his luck with her.  
  
"Excuse me Miss. But have you seen this women?" Sean said holding up the photo. He didn't even have to go into the sister act when he held the photo to the worn women instantly recognized her.  
  
"Yes. Her and another girl checked in here two nights ago." The women said still busy cleaning the windows.  
  
"Thank you!!" Sean said kissing the women on the cheek and running back up stairs to his room.  
  
Sean pushed the door open and collapsed on his bed. She was here, and staying in the same hotel. He would see his sweet soon. But first he would have to make her learn her lesson.  
  
Sean later decided to search the parking lot for Maria's Jetta. He hadn't noticed it when he came in earlier, but then again he was plastered.  
  
With no luck. He bought a newspaper and occupied a chair in the lounge that had a full view of the front door. There he waited for her to return. Ready with the newspaper so she couldn't see him.  
  
Maria woke up in a panic she was trapped with two long, muscular arms around her. She started squirming. But felt resistance, she lifted her head up to be greeted with Michael's handsome face. And instantly relaxed, remembering where she was.  
  
He was looking down at her with a worried expression on his face. Why had she wanted to leave? What had he done? "Are you OK?"  
  
Maria ran her hand over her face, and tried to rub the sleep out of her eyes. "Yeah. Perfect." She smiled. "You ever wake up and totally forget where you are?" She asked laughing.  
  
"Yeah a few times." Michael responded now totally with her.  
  
"Well I should wake Liz. We need to go back to our hotel and get changed and showered" Maria said. She had to admit that once she remembered where she was, and saw who's long, muscular arms were holding here in such a protective way. She wasn't complaining at all.  
  
"Ok." Michael agreed, reluctantly unwrapping his limbs from hers. Once Maria was free she instantly felt the loss of warmth all over her body, and she craved to have it back. But she decided to turn and sit cross legged on the bed, facing him.  
  
"Hey, you wanna meet us some where for breakfast?" Maria offered. Knowing that she would get to see Michael again, but wanting to be the one to make the plans to do so.  
  
"Yeah sounds good." Michael said happy that she had invited him, even if everyone else was going to be there. Michael looked over to his wall clock, it was all most 8:30 in the morning. "But I have to be to work at 10:00."  
  
"You work on Sundays?" She questioned. "What do you do?" She asked surprised. She did work in a diner but was only required to work the week, never a weekend. She thought seeing as though Roswell was such a small town that all of the local businesses would be closed up, especially during church hours.  
  
"I own the art gallery down town. I have people coming to apply to display their work today." Michael replied as if it was a known fact. "We do need to wake them up." He said pointing towards his room. "Max has to go in for a few hours today also." Michael got up and walked towards his room. As she watched him walk away Maria noticed for the first time that he had only been sleeping in his boxers.  
  
Sean saw the two girls come in the hotel. They left less than an hour later. He decided to follow them. He thanked god that they weren't taking the car, so that he could follow them by foot. And made a mental note to himself to rent a car later today.  
  
He followed the girls across the busy street and a few blocks down. They stopped at a cute little alien themed restaurant. Sean noticed the huge, not to mention bright sign out front as he walked in, The Crashdown Cafe.  
  
He took a seat at the closest table, and immediately pulled a menu up to hide his face. He watched as the girls sat at a booth and talked.  
  
The door opened and the 'Men in Black' theme played indicating that a customer had entered. Two young men and a beautiful women walked over to their table and joined them.  
  
When Sean saw the way the tall, dark haired man was looking at Liz his blood began to boil. He sat down next to Liz and put his arm around her shoulders like it was nothing.  
  
Looks like Liz won't be the only one getting a lesson taught to her. Someone needs to teach that guy that you don't fuck around with other guys girls.  
  
Sean sat at the small table and began to plan what was to come to all of them.  
  
I will have to do this fast. But I want to make it last, she needs to be taught a lesson, and the only way to do that is to torture her, to make her understand. Let her know that what she did was wrong, very wrong. I must start on this tonight.  
  
Liz and Max sat together on one side of the booth while Maria, Michael, and Isabel took the other. Michael kept elbowing Maria and she would do it back. Then Michael would smile to himself and start the process again.  
  
Isabel couldn't take it anymore. It's like they were little 5th graders. Any moment now he'd be pulling her hair, calling her names, and telling her she had cooties! Isabel walked over to the closest table and quickly grabbed a chair, flinging it down she put the chair at the edge of the table and sat down just to hear the beginning of it.  
  
"You look like Pippi Longstocking." Michael commented lightly touching Maria's braided hair.  
  
"I do not!." Maria protested. Then quietly whispered "Liz, who's Pippi Longstocking?" Making the table burst out in laughter as Maria quickly started to unbraid her hair.  
  
Sean could over hear their conversation. Loud and clear.  
  
Pippi Longstocking will be the last of your worries dearest Maria.  
  
TBC 


	17. Chap 12 A Day in the Life

Inside my Mind  
  
Part 12  
  
"Wait wait wait. So your going to work with him?" Isabel huffed gesturing from Liz to Max. "And your going with him!?" Again from Michael to Maria. "So you just thought what exactly. That because I'm the loner here I get to be alone all day!!" Isabel was beyond pissed at this point. The two couples had sat and chatted and flirted all through out breakfast, it was enough to make her want to gag. But at the same time all she wanted was someone to trade soul searching glances with, or someone to spar with. But NO here she sat while they made plans to leave her alone all day.  
  
"No Iz that's not it at all." Max soothed. "If you want to come down to the hospital with me you are more then welcome, you know that." Max stated making himself perfectly clear. "The kids love you there." He enthused trying to make her feel welcome.  
  
"Yeah. I mean and if you wanted you could always come and help me out down at the gallery." Michael offered, from his seat next to Maria. They had just finished paying their bill, and then Michael had brought up the fact that he had to be to work soon, when Max said that he did as well. Liz generously offered to go help him out, begging Maria to come with her. But Maria had made it insaneily clear that she hated the smell of hospitals. When much to her surprise Michael had offered to let her 'tag along'. Then Isabel had started her hissy fit.  
  
"No that's fine. I can find my own entertainment. Thank you very much!" Isabel said clearing pissed off at everyone. As she slammed her chair underneath the table and stomped all the way to the door not even turning to look back before she burst out. Max was instantly up ready to run after her when Michael had stopped him. "Give her some alone time." He had said. Max knew his sister better then that, alone time wasn't what she wanted right now. She wanted someone right by her side with her through everything. But there was no way he would catch her now, he was positive that she had run straight out to her car hopped in and without a moments hesitation floored it, as far away from the diner as possible, with tears running constantly.  
  
"Liz you ready?" Max asked. The guilt all over his face.  
  
"I can go find her if you like." Liz offered completely self sacrificing.  
  
How could she read me so well. Just by looking at me she knew it all, knew what I was feeling knew what I was thinking.That warmed Max's heart just knowing that, and the smile on his face spread ear to ear.  
  
"No its fine. Michael's probably right." Max said offering his hand to Liz to help her up. His indication that he was obviously ready to go. Liz graciously accepted and they said their good-byes and were out the door in a flash.  
  
Max lead her to his Jeep and offered her his hand to help her up into the rig. Dashing over to the other side he got in and started the old Jeep. Both put on their seatbelts and drove away, towards Roswell Memorial.  
  
"So what kind of doctor are you?" Liz asked. Entranced at how he was a doctor at such a young age. He had to of skipped at least two to three years of school.  
  
"Pediatrician." He replied looking her way and smiling. As he pulled out onto the road.  
  
"Wow that's so great. I love kids." Liz said happily. Feeling a little guilty for actually thinking about how gorgeous their kids would be. She turned to look at the desert scenery go by, as she tried to wash the thought from her mind.  
  
Michael pulled his big truck up in front of the surprisingly elegant gallery. He got out of the truck and Maria followed close behind. There were all ready people waiting outside for him. Maria felt bad, after all it had been her fault that they were late, but she did really have to pee.  
  
"I thank you all for waiting so patiently." Michael said to the small crowd unlocking the door and glaring daggers at Maria, who just smiled innocently, and his face softened imediently. Forgiven but not forgotten he remarked to her in his mind.  
  
After he let everyone into the gallery. Michael stood back and watched as the crowd dispersed through out the building setting up their materials. Michael turned to see Maria totally engrossed in a small display of work, what got him was the painting that she seemed to be so impressed by was his.  
  
"See something you like?" Michael asked walking towards her.  
  
"Actually yes." She replied. All of the paintings that she found herself looking at were abstract. Which she seemed to like a lot more lately. One in particular caught her eye though. It seemed to be a dome shape with darts of color splashing through it, red and oranges and yellows they just all seemed to mix so well, with such precision in the brush strokes it amazed her.  
  
"You like that one?" Michael asked gesturing towards the painting that she had been staring at.  
  
"Yes. Its fabulous. I mean the colors and the shapes. Did one of these people paint it?" She asked referring towards the people in the room setting up. Michael just pointed to a sign over her head that read 'Owners Corner'. Maria looked back to Michael in surprise. Nothing further was needed the look on her face said it all for Michael. He continued to explain on to her what the up coming show was about and why the people were here.  
  
"Seeing as though you have such good taste in art work." Michael said jokingly. "Would you like to help me select the work to be displayed?" Michael asked. Absolutely having no idea what he was getting him self into.  
  
"I'd love to!" She replied excitedly.  
  
"See you just wrap it around her finger clock wise and that should take care of it." Max said instructing Liz on the wrapping of a young girls finger. Liz just couldn't get over how perfect Max looked in his doctors coat. So professional, so powerful. Oh who was she kidding she asked herself he looked dead sexy. Liz was marveled at how immature her thoughts had been lately. Dead sexy? What was that? She sounded like a little freshmen again not the 22 year old women that she was. But he seemed to be having that effect on her he was intoxicating.  
  
"So what can I do now?" Liz asked finishing the girls finger and patting her on the back for being so brave while Max sewed her four stitches.  
  
Max was instantly impressed with how all of the children seemed to be responding to Liz. They all loved her, and she was so gentle and caring towards them.  
  
"Well." Max said checking his chart. "You could help me wrap a cast?" He questioned.  
  
"Love to." Liz said following him down the long corridor of the hospital and to a new room.  
  
As soon as Max walked in the room to see who was in there he stopped mid stride. Causing Liz to run right into him. Max hardly seemed to notice, he didn't even falter.  
  
"Valenti. You again?" Max said pretending to act surprised as he pulled up a chair and offered it to Liz and then took a seat on his mobile stool.  
  
"Yeah. I fell out of a tree." The small child said holding his arm up in the air. Max just shook his head and turned to Liz to give an explanation.  
  
"James is in here every week with a new injury. I swear Vicki solely pays my bills." Max said yet again shaking his head. Causing Liz to giggle.  
  
"James I'd like you to meet a friend of mine. This is Liz. She's gonna be helping me out today." Max said looking towards Liz. She instantly caught his gaze and was locked there, time seemed to stand still when she looked into his deep, inviting eyes.  
  
"More like girlfriend." James muttered under his breath noticing the soul searching gazes. His mother walked in before either got a chance to reply.  
  
"Hey Vicki." Max said.  
  
"So how is he?" She asked concerned for her son.  
  
"He's fine. Get to cast him again." Max said with fake enthusiasm.  
  
"Vicki you can take a seat. Liz come here." Max said waving her over towards him. "Your gonna help me cast his arm."  
  
"OK." Liz said a little uncomfortable. Sure wrapping a finger had been easy. But the poor kid would have to live with the cast for at least three months.  
  
"Don't worry you'll do fine." Max said beaming up at her.  
  
Max set a small table to the side of him with a bowl of warm water and some strips of some sort of white material. Then Max patted his knee offering it to Liz. Liz sat down on his leg and Max proceeded to instruct her on wrapping the cast.  
  
"Half wit!" Michael threw back at her.  
  
"Pig." Maria screeched.  
  
"Do you two need to be left alone?" A man from the group of waiting artists asked.  
  
Maria gasped. "Left alone?! With him?"  
  
"Well you two seem to be having some 'relationship problems'.". The crowd had gathered around the couple when they began to argue. They hardly seemed to notice as they threw insults back and forth at each other as if they were playing catch. Every time she'd make a remark he'd have one to throw back at her, it had been going on for nearly 10 minutes before someone decided to say something.  
  
"Relationship Problems." Maria said her voice escalating. "Relationship problems!" she repeated. "I've known this man for nearly two days! There is no relationship to speak of here!"  
  
"Could of fooled me." A women piped in.  
  
Before Maria had time to respond to her Michael had grabbed her arm and rushed her into what appeared to be his office. It was a dim shaded room, as she looked around she saw that it was totally not what she would expect out of the man standing in front of her. The office was clean, and organized. Every little thing seemed to have its own little place. The room it self was a good size and extremely well decorated, much like his apartment was. Isabel must have helped him out a great deal Maria decided looking around. She was quickly ripped from her thoughts.  
  
"What the hell are you doing!?" He questioned. Obviously fuming with her.  
  
"What am I doing! You started it!" Maria spit back in her defense. How dare he blame this all on her.  
  
She did have a point. They just couldn't seem to agree on any paintings at all. Everyone he'd suggest she would decline and vise versa. He was coming to the end of his rope when he finally let it all out. Now here he was having to look into her fiery eyes, that were made all the more green with her frustration.  
  
He took a deep calming breath. "Ok. We just need to calm down, go back out there, and try to agree on something."  
  
"Talk about stating the obvious." Maria muttered. Then took a deep breath. That just wasn't doing the trick for her. He had royally pissed her off she needed something more to calm herself down. Maria reached into her small purse and pulled out a tanish glass vial. Unscrewing the cap she took a deep breath and sniffed in its the scent. After she had calmed some she looked up to meet his eyes. He was looking at her like she was completely crazy.  
  
"Cedar oil." She offered then walked to the door and opened it. Shaking his head he followed her out.  
  
"Liz you did a fantastic job!" Max said. Patting James's newly casted arm.  
  
"That looks professional, Evans." Max heard come from behind him. He didn't even have to turn to know who it was. Or that he was referring to Liz sitting on his lap.  
  
"Thanks Kyle." Max responded sarcastically without looking towards the man.  
  
"Ok. James you know the drill." Max said looking at him directly in the eyes, expecting an answer.  
  
"Yeah yeah. No swimming, plastic bag when I shower, take the pain killers only when nesicary, try to keep it elevated." James finished.  
  
Max gave him a knowing look.  
  
"And no scratching with a pencil." James said defeated.  
  
Making Liz giggle once again. Max was so good with his patients. All through out Liz wrapping the boys cast Max had talked to him about school, his grades, his family, his friends. He even offered him some advice about a girl he liked. Liz was so impressed with Max, and the way he handled himself.  
  
"Exactly." Max said pulling the chart from the table and writing out the prescription.  
  
Max turned the whole stool with his feet to look at the Valenti's. Liz still safely planted on his lap.  
  
"You two know the drill I want to see him back here in two weeks for a check up." Max said handing them the prescription.  
  
"See you then." Kyle said taking it from him and with a quick wave they were gone.  
  
"I'm very proud of you." Max said wrapping his arms around Liz's waist.  
  
"Really?" Liz questioned leaning back against Max's chest purely exhausted.  
  
"Yes." He said kissing her cheek softly.  
  
"But my dear, I fear that the day is over. My shift is done."  
  
Max said lightly kissing down the side of her neck.  
  
Liz got up quickly, turned around so that she was facing him and sat back down, now straddling his lap. "Is that so." She said. Moving a little closer to his incredible lips, they looked so soft, and sweet. Liz wanted them all over her.  
  
"'Tis so." Max whispered in a hoarse voice filled with desire closing the small space between them with his lips lightly crashing down on hers.  
  
Their kiss was sweet and delicate. But they both wanted more, both needed more. Max ran his tongue gently along her bottom lip. She generously invited it into the soft recess of her warm mouth. Their tongues danced together for several seconds, before Max moved his hand from her waist up around to support her back and bring her closer to him. Liz kept her hands busy playing with the hair at the nape of his neck, so soft and smooth she thought.  
  
Max started to move his other hand up her side and brought her shirt up with his hand, he was about ready to slide his large, tender hands under her shirt to meet with her soft silky skin, when the door flung open and the two ripped apart from each other.  
  
The nurse paused looking at the two in shock. Liz was still seated comfortably on Max's lap. She finally found her voice. "There's a call for you, Dr. Evans." With that the nurse shut the door quickly. Even through the door Max and Liz could both hear the women holler for another nurse and the other run over to hear the juicy gossip.  
  
Max buried his head in Liz's shoulder. "Awe. I'm sorry Max." She said rubbing his head sympathetically, seeing that this situation probably wouldn't make things easy for him at work.  
  
Max lifted his head to meet her gorgeous eyes. "Don't be, that was well worth it." Max said with a dopey grin on his face. Liz stood as did Max taking her hand he walked out of the room towards the phone.  
  
As soon as he opened the door he noticed the big group of people gawking at them. Liz hung her head in embarrassment. "Back to work please." Max said to the group as he walked them over to the phones. Everyone listened and the group dispersed.  
  
"Hello." Max said after picking up the phone.  
  
"No. Michael, I'm sure its not that bad."  
  
"NOT THAT BAD!" Liz could hear the other man shout through the phone. Making Liz wince at the thought of what had gone wrong.  
  
"Michael you have to calm down."  
  
"Yes calm down. See better all ready. Now what happened?"  
  
After a long moment of silence, Max finally answered back.  
  
"Michael. Try to look at everything from her point of view, listen to what she has to say about each piece of art. Maybe you will see it her way." Max tried to reason.  
  
"No. Michael. I didn't say give in. What I mean is, try and compromise, set the example and I'm sure she will follow."  
  
"Yeah. See you soon." Max said then hung up the phone with an exasperated sigh.  
  
"What happened?" Liz questioned.  
  
"Maria is helping Michael pick the art for his next show, and they can't agree on anything." Max replied emphasizing the anything.  
  
Liz started laughing and Max soon joined her.  
  
"Only Maria I swear." Liz said knowingly. As they exited the hospital and drove to the gallery.  
  
They were greeted with quite a sight then what they had expected to be coming in on. Michael and Maria were over looking at a painting in a calm consistent manner. Telling what they liked about it and what they didn't. Respecting what the other had to say, and considering it carefully.  
  
"Where did everyone go?" Max asked with an amused grin. Happy that Michael had obviously taken his advice.  
  
"Well." Michael started. "I told them to come back on Tuesday when I was sure that we would have chosen." Michael said calmly.  
  
"Wow. I'm impressed." Max stated with a nod of approval.  
  
"Well I listened to what you had to say and..." Michael let his voice trail off.  
  
"Your welcome." Max said. Walking hand in hand with Liz to look through the paintings. While they finished debating the painting they were on.  
  
After they had left the cafe Sean sat at his table carefully planning out and going over his plan again and again in his mind. Everything had to be well thought out, no slip ups.  
  
Sure they can have their fun today. But it will be the last. The first phase will start tonight.  
  
Sean thought confidently to himself as he sipped his 'Irish coffee'.  
  
TBC 


	18. Chap 13 Visitors in the Night

A/N: Sorry this took so long I was on a little vacation. But here are the next 2 parts to the story. The song used here is by Tool, in case anyone was wondering. Enjoy! Please review!!!!  
  
Inside my Mind  
  
Part 13  
  
Sean sat in his chair and watched that night as Maria and Liz came in around 8:00, chatting about what they had done that day. He remembered how happy she had seemed, but he knew her better then that. It was all just a facade, an act. She could be nor would be happy with no one that wasn't he. Sure she could pretend, she could have her fun romps. But she would be back. She needed him. She couldn't live with out him, and he would see to that.  
  
Now a little past 1:00 in the morning. As Sean crept down the long, dark corridor to their room.  
  
IYou crawled away from me.  
  
Slipped away from me./I  
  
He picked the lock on their door and quietly snuck in shutting the door silently behind him. The room was dark, except for the moonlight that filtered in from the small window.  
  
II tried to keep ahold,  
  
but there was nothing I could say./I  
  
He walked over to the side of Liz's bed, looking down at her all the pain, hatred, and love that he had built up for her over the past three years came to the surface and reared its ugly head.  
  
IYou slid and crept away  
  
and tired to keep you down  
  
but there was nothing I could say./I  
  
He strode over to the small table taking the pad and pen that were all ready there and began his letter to Liz.  
  
ISo what you're trying to say  
  
is you don't wanna play./I  
  
Reflecting back on all the times they shared together, the good the bad and the in-betweens. He'd always been there for her. No matter what Maria tried to convince her to think he was always there, and that wasn't going to change. He loved her. He would have her back, she was his. He'd done nothing wrong, she had no reason to leave and she was coming home. Where she belonged, with him. Whether she liked it or not. She would return.  
  
IBut what you want and what you need  
  
doesn't mean fuck to me./I  
  
He folded the letter. Walking silently over to her, he put the note down next to her on the pillow. The pillow that he should be sleeping on, next to her. Looking at her right now the way she had looked so many times before through his eyes. Her hair all tosseled and messy, her body spread out on the bed reminded him of all the times they had shared in his bed together. So many times had they been together, but then it just stopped. She turned away from him. She once liked to be kissed hard and liked having him be rough with her. Now here she was with a man who would never touch her the way he did, he couldn't. She was his, no one could treat his like that.  
  
IBecause I can see your back is turning.  
  
If I could I'd stick the knife in./I  
  
Sean walked to the door, taking one last look back towards her. She would pay for what she had put him through. He would show her what it felt like to be useless, used, and rejected. Then he would have her back, she would be his again. If only she could see that they were meant to be. No one else could love her as he did. Treat her the way she wanted to be treated. All those tears she shed, they were for him. For knowing what she'd lost, but he was back he was here. She needed him, someone to keep her inline when she acted up. Teach her her lessons. Tell her where she stood, and what to do and think, Liz needed that, needed him.  
  
IThis is love. This is love.  
  
This is my love for you.  
  
This is my love for you.  
  
This is my love for you.  
  
This is my LOVE.  
  
Say you won't go./I  
  
She would be his again. No matter what it took. With that he closed their room door and walked slowly back down to his room. Imagining what she would feel and think when she read his letter, the pain, the fear, the hatred. Everything that he had felt towards her. Revenge was sweet, and it was his.  
  
--------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Liz woke the next morning turning over to bury her head in the pillow next to her, to shut out the sound that the evil alarm clock was sending off. But there was interference. She looked down to find a piece of folded paper. She sat up in bed taking the note from the pillow and reading it silently to herself.  
  
When Liz had woke this morning she was happy, overjoyed, the dream she had about Max had made her feel so content. Then she saw the letter and knew that all of her troubles were back again.  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Maria and Liz sat in the small diner that they had met Max and Michael at the other day. Here they were again waiting for them. They'd planned yesterday to meet up for breakfast today. The three of them had no idea what they were about to find out. Liz hadn't told anyone of the letter yet. She decided to wait till they were all there so she'd only have to say it once. Telling everyone with Max by her side made it easier as well.  
  
Max strode into the diner about ten minutes late. Searching out the girls and then quickly going over to their table. He took a seat next to Liz with and an aggravated Maria sitting across from them.  
  
"Where is Michael?" She asked pointedly.  
  
"Hey don't look at me." Max replied putting his hand up in front of him in defense.  
  
"He better get here soon, we have to discuss those paintings still." She said hottedly folding her arms in front of her. "If he thinks that he can get out of this—". Maria turned her head to the sound of the music indicating a new customer. Nope not Michael. "ARGG! Where is he!"  
  
Ignoring Maria, Max turned to Liz. Noticing that she'd been quiet ever since he got there.  
  
"Liz are you ok?" Max whispered to her. Rubbing his hand over her thigh, to let her know that he was here for her.  
  
"Yeah. I'm fine." She lied. She really did want to wait until everyone had gotten there. "Michael is coming right?"  
  
"Yeah. He said he'd be here." Max replied. He knew something was up.  
  
"Yeah he better be!" Maria interrupted.  
  
"He will be Maria. Give him a chance." Max said trying to calm her down.  
  
The door opened the music played and in walked Michael, only twenty minutes late. He walked over to their table. Before he even got the chance to sit down.  
  
"Where have you been?" Maria asked, obviously frustrated that he was late.  
  
"Is that how you welcomed everyone, or am I just special?" He asked taking a seat next to her.  
  
"Well everyone else wasn't twenty minutes late." She remarked, with fire in her eyes. Michael loved getting to her like this, that was the hull point of him being late.  
  
"I have something to say." Liz announced.  
  
Here it comes Max knew something wasn't right.  
  
Liz got the letter from out of her back pocket and handed it to Max. "I found that on my pillow this morning." After reading the letter this morning all Liz wanted to do was cry, and scream. But she couldn't she had to stay strong.  
  
Max read the letter over and then passed it to Maria. Who held it so that her and Michael could both read it.  
  
Words didn't need to be spoken, the letter was to much. It spoke of killing her if she didn't come back. Starting with her friends so that she would have no one left to turn to but him. It was to much, to much for Max to comprehend. How could she get involved with someone like this, who would even think of doing this to anyone! Especially someone he claimed to love.  
  
Max took Liz into a hug and they just sat there like that. Holding onto each other. "You're staying with me tonight." Max whispered in her ear. She just nodded her head in agreement. Liz knew that if she spoke right now, she'd start crying. That wasn't an option right now. Sean had been in her room. He could be anywhere right now watching them. She refused to give him the satisfaction of letting him see her cry, again.  
  
TBC 


	19. Chap 14 Desert Drive

Inside my Mind  
  
Part 14  
  
It had been two days since Sean had left Liz the letter in her motel room. Two days since she had left the hotel and started staying at Max's house. Liz reminisced as she made Max lunch to take to him at work. Something that she had been doing the past two days as well. Max's boss wasn't exactly thrilled when he found out about their make out session. So bringing him lunch was really the only time she got to see him during the day. But when he came home they spent every minute together.  
  
The first night, the day that she got the letter. Liz and Max had stayed up talking till dawn. She told him everything about Sean, even things that she had never brought herself to tell Maria. She just let it all out into the open. Max took in everything she said with an open mind, and all he said in return was that he'd be there for her no matter what, that she was safe. Liz thought that by telling him everything that he would tell her what he was hiding. Nevertheless, he hadn't, hopefully soon Liz thought as she finished his lunch and headed out to his Jeep to spend the lunch hour togeter.  
  
That was something else that Liz was still getting use to, Max had in trusted everything to her. He had let her have the Jeep, his house, half of his bed. She was amazed at how deep their connection truly was, whatever connection it may be.  
  
--------------------------------------------------------  
  
Maria sat at the desk in the main room of the Art Gallery. She'd been there all day answering phones, Michael's secretary had eloped to Reno and quit her job at the gallery. Leaving Maria to fill in. Not that Maria was complaining... well she was but only on the outside. She loved being in the gallery; it felt safe, warm and familiar to her. She'd practically spent the last two days in there. Helping Michael set up for the next show. There was so much to be done that he and Maria would stay there till all hours of the morning. After it was said that Liz was staying at Max's, it seemed natural to them to just go back to Michael's after they were done working. Michael had been such a gentlemen and gave Maria his bed, while he slept on the couch, Maria recalled as she looked onto Michael while he discussed plans with one of the artists.  
  
Michael was well aware that he had Maria's full attention. He'd had it for the greater part of the day. Not that it bothered him in the slightest, just made it harder to concentrate on the show. Having her around him smelling the way she did looking the way she did, it was killing him... If thats how I'm going to go.  
  
He'd never admit it to anyone, but for the past two nights after she'd fallen asleep he'd sneak into his room and stand there for a while just to watch her. She was beauty in its truest form. Just watching her sleep made everything in the world seem at peace.  
  
He finished his conversation with the worried artist and started to make his way over to Maria at the desk.  
  
Here he comes! Quick act like your really working. Instead of boring wholes into the back of his head.Maria quickly pulled out a pen and started to look like she was planning out intense notes.  
  
"You want to catch some lunch?" He asked.  
  
Hook, line, and sinker. "Love to."  
  
--------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Isabel was leaving work and on her way home. Not that she was in any rush to get there. Sure she liked Liz and everything. But watching her with her brother was making her sick. They had the whole 'look into my eyes soul mate' thing going on. Seeing that only reminded her of what she didn't have, someone to look into her eyes, to make other people sick and jealous leaving her completely happy. Oh how she wanted that. She was tired of being the fifth wheel sitting back and watching the blossoming romances for her friends. She was happy for them in the best way possible, that they had found someone that they wanted to be with. But sad for herself all at the same time that she hadn't.  
  
She scanned the desert scene that surrounded her as she drove home. It was getting later at night, starting to become dark, when the desert really looked its best. She loved driving through the cool crisp air of the desert at this time of night. Just after the sun had set and all of the nightlife was starting to wake up.  
  
She noticed a car coming towards her in the other lane of the two way passage. Isabel was aware that the driver had forgotten to turn their headlights on. So she decided to do the courteous thing that her Mother had instructed her to do when she first started driving. She flashed her headlights at the on coming car twice, to let them no to turn on their headlights.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------  
  
You're such a cautious driver Isabel. Sean noted as Isabel flashed her headlights at him. He'd waited two long days to act out on the group again. Watching them from a far he spotted Isabel right away. She was weak and depressed, she wanted love so badly you could see it with everything she did. Especially when she looked at the other two couples.  
  
My dearest Isabel. You won't need to crave love any longer.  
  
Sean turned his high beams on and swiped his car around into the lane behind Isabel. Speeding up he rammed his car into the back of hers, making her vehicle lunge forward.  
  
---------------------------------------------------  
  
"What the FUCK!" Isabel screamed as she tried to get control of her small car. When she had she looked in her rearview mirror to check if the car was still behind her.  
  
It in fact was. The driver was a young guy, with cold eyes that were staring directly at her. He sped his vehicle up and was getting ready to ram her again. When it suddenly hit her. Its Sean! It has to be.Isabel's car was hit the second time and she couldn't control it the car went over the road barrier and landed in a mound of the desert sand on the other side of the road upside down, with the wheels still spinning in the air.  
  
--------------------------------------------------------  
  
Sean slowed his car as he drove past the wreck. Smiling to himself, that phase two was now complete. Isabel Evans was dead. With only three more people to go, then Liz would be back.  
  
TBC 


	20. Chap 15 Accidents Happen

Inside my Mind  
  
Part 15  
  
The ambulance rushed up to the entrance of the hospital. Isabel was rolled out of the big van on a stretcher and into the busy emergency room.  
  
"What's her condition?" The Doctor asked as he rushed on with the E.M.T's that were assisting her.  
  
"She was found off of 285 about half an hour ago, in a massive car wreck. She was unconscious and has been the whole way here." The E.M.T replied.  
  
The doctor nodded. "Take her to C.C." gesturing towards the nurse, "Get me some information on her and contact her family. She might not make it." With that, he rushed with the flow that went with Isabel.  
  
"How is she?" The nurse asked.  
  
"She's stable, for now." He replied solemnly, "Did you get any information for me?"  
  
"Sir. Its Isabel Evans." The nurse replied near tears.  
  
"Oh god, I didn't even... have you contacted Max?"  
  
"Yes. He said he had to make a phone call, but he'd be in here soon."  
  
"How can you even compare Metallica to Staind?" Michael asked completely aggravated with Maria. "That's like me comparing –"  
  
"Christina to Britney." Maria cut in with a laugh.  
  
Michael just rolled his eyes. It was now 10 o' clock at night and much like the last two days here they were in his galley preparing for the show.  
  
"Ok. This is the last time I'm going to say this, Metallica is like the be all and end all of-"  
  
The phone ringing interrupted Michael. He quickly got up and ran to the desk to answer it. His up beat voice and happy expressions quickly disappeared. "We'll be right there." Michael replied to the person on the other line and hung up the phone.  
  
"Michael what's going on?" Maria said standing, and starting to become worried.  
  
"Isabel was in a car wreck, she in critical condition."  
  
They'd now been at the hospital for two hours. Isabel was still in the same condition as she was when they arrived. "Stable, but unsure of anything else." The doctor had put it.  
  
The group sat in a private waiting room. Maria was sitting next to Michael with her head laid comfortably on his shoulder and his arm wrapped protectively around her. Liz sat in a chair by herself, Max had left a while ago to see if he could get anymore information on his sisters condition, it seemed to be a lost cause at this point the answers were always the same.  
  
"That's it!" Maria said jumping up from her seat and finding her cell phone in her bag. "I'm calling Alex. I need Alex!"  
  
Before Liz even had time to protest she had dialed the number and Alex had answered. Defeated Liz slumped back into her chair and listened to the one sided conversation.  
  
"I'll explain everything when you get here, promise." Maria said trying to sound as honest as she could.  
  
"Yeah see you then. You too, bye." With that she hung up the phone and reclaimed her seat next to a bewildered Michael.  
  
"Alex is on his way." Maria announced to the room. Seemingly ignoring Michael's looks.  
  
"Who the hell is Alex?" Michael asked, coming out more jealous stricken then he had intended.  
  
"Don't worry." Maria said with a pleased smile plastered on her face. "He's just our oldest and dearest friend. Who should be here with in three hours tops."  
  
Now being 1:30 in the morning, Liz was asleep next to Max and Maria and Michael were asleep on the opposite side of the bland waiting room.  
  
Max decided that it was time for them to have their 'aliens only meeting.' As Isabel had put it. Never did he think that they'd be having one without her, to plan on how to keep anyone from finding out her true origins.  
  
Max walked silently over to Michael and pulled on his hair a little, always woke him up. Michael slapped his hand away and got up carefully, as not to wake Maria.  
  
They quietly slipped out the door and went up to Max's office to discuss things.  
  
Once in Max's small office, equipped only with a desk, two chairs and a plant, the plans went into action.  
  
"I all ready took care of any blood results that were taken." Max said kicking things off.  
  
"So what else have they done? X-rays?" Michael asked.  
  
"Our X-rays are the same as any other humans. I think the only thing we needed to be worried about was any blood samples." Max said starting to feel somewhat relieved.  
  
"So why can't you just heal her?" Isabel had been Michael's sister, he loved her so much. Just knowing that she might not pull her through all of this was eating him away. He needed her.  
  
"I can't heal her. Because she's going to get through this the normal way. All the signs are good. She can make a full recovery from this." Max said, completely sure of himself. He knew what Michael was thinking and he knew that he had to be the one to reassure him. He did he wanted to heal her so much it hurt. To be able to have her wake up right now and no for sure that she was perfect again. But he couldn't. He couldn't risk it, and he knew that she had the potential to make a full recovery, and that she would in due time, she would.  
  
After Alex had gotten to the hospital and finally been directed to where he needed to be it was after 3 o' clock in the morning. He came rushing in the doors of their waiting room, to find everyone asleep. He took in note that his best friends were all over two guys that he had never seen before.  
  
He quickly walked over to Liz and shook her slightly then stopped he knew that wasn't the way to wake her, never did work. So he did the only thing that had worked in years of history. He lightly stroked his finger between her eyes and down the slope of her nose "Wakey, wakey." He called. Liz's eyes fluttered open. When she saw Alex she quickly jumped up and started hugging him. Waking Max in the process.  
  
"I take you to be Alex?" Max asked in a whisper not wanting to wake the others.  
  
"That'd be me." Alex said shaking Max's hand.  
  
"Max Evans." He replied shaking Alex's hand in return.  
  
"Dare I ask." Alex said pointing to Maria and Michael. They had certainly worked themselves into an odd position during their sleep. Nevertheless, it looked as though it was normal to them.  
  
Before anyone could reply the double doors to the waiting room swung open and the doctor appeared.  
  
"Evans, shes awake." He announced and left the room expecting them to follow. Max, Liz, and Alex did just that. As Alex walked by Maria and the un-known boy. He shook Maria slightly and getting the reaction he wanted motioned for her to follow him. After she woke Michael she did.  
  
They walked silently to the room that Isabel had been transferred to hours before. As they approached Max gripped Liz's hand tighter for support she returned the gusture reassuring him that she was there. They walked through the door to her room. Everyone gasped as they took in the sight of once Isabel Evans.  
  
TBC 


	21. Chap 16 Room with a View

Inside my Mind  
  
Part 16  
  
Isabel laid in her hospital bed, looking around at the boring room. She'd been stuck waiting in the rooms before but never did they seem so incredibly non interesting to her. She was basically stuck looking straight up at the plain white ceiling... she remembered when she was younger and would be at the dentists, she'd be in the chair and be in the same position for over an hour while her dentist would work on her teeth. There was always a poster on the ceiling to look at. She'd have to talk to Max about that, they really needed something on the ceiling in here, to distract people from what was going on in their lives at the present time. "Art was really a way to get away from your thoughts, and everything that was going on with the rest of the world." Michael had told her that once. She was truly happy that she'd be around to hear more of Michael's 'views on the world.'  
  
Isabel thought, trying to think of something unimportant, and nonrelivent to her current situation. Otherwise she'd be right back to what she was thinking about ever since everyone had left her to 'sleep'.  
  
They had come in about two hours ago. The happy couples and the new guy. They all told her she looked great... but she knew otherwise. She hadn't been able to see herself yet, she couldn't get out of bed to do so. But the way they all looked at her she knew something had to be wrong. That just wasn't a normal reaction you get from your friends and family after being nearly dead. Then again nothing was normal about what was happening to her... it never is.  
  
This time if was different though. Not only was she 'poor alien Isabel'. Now she was 'poor alien Isabel, getting death threats from your brothers- girlfriends-pshycotic-xboyfriend.' Yeah that wouldn't fit on her name tag. She remarked as she played in her head for the fiftieth time 'the group conference'.  
  
After the doctor had left and the intial shock had worn off. The interrogation started.  
  
"What happened?" Max had asked frantically.  
  
Isabel did her famous death glare before she stated the rather obvious "I was in a car accident."  
  
"No really Einstein." Michael commented taking a seat in the chair next to the bed.  
  
Isabel just rolled her eyes she was used to his cracks by now. But now just wasn't the time for them. Then again that's how Michael always had dealt with pain, hurt, sorrow and all low emotions... he'd plaster up the stone wall and turned on the sarcasm.  
  
She just didn't know how to explain to them what she knows happened. It was Sean... she was sure of that. But they knew that she had never seen him, would they believe her if she told them what she knew.  
  
She wasn't in the mood for over analyzing everything like Max did. "It was Sean." She blurted out, not really how she wanted to bring it up, but it was a honest start to say the least.  
  
"Excuse me!" Liz screeched, Isabel had never seen Sean. How cold she possibly know that it was him.  
  
"Liz I know what you're thinking. I'm not trying to blame this on him just for the hell of it. It was him, I'm sure of it."  
  
"How can you be sure of it! You've never seen him."  
  
"Not before this, no. But I did see him when he did this." Isabel said gesturing towards herself and the damage that the wreck had caused to her.  
  
"Those are some big accusations that you are throwing around." Alex piped in quietly.  
  
"Wait. Who are you?" she asked noticing him there for the first time. Not only was everyone else looking at her like she was crazy... but a stranger was the one to question it!  
  
"That's Alex." Liz said quickly before he had a chance to properly introduce himself. "How can you be so sure that it was in fact him Isabel?" Liz asked starting to pace slightly in the small room, made seemingly smaller by all of its occupants.  
  
"First of all we know that he is in Roswell from the note. Secondly..." Isabel trailed off. She really hadn't had time to gather a presentation on this. "Well who else could it be! He deliberately rammed my car off the road!"  
  
Liz knew she was most likely right who else could it be? Roswell was a small town and Isabel Evans was their small town girl no one hated her, some may have envied her, but she was quit positive that no one wanted her dead. Not to mention the fact that Sean had mentioned in his note that he'd go after her friends first.  
  
After much consideration Liz posed the next question. "What did the man look like that did this?"  
  
Isabel was shocked, was that, did she just. No way, was Liz believing her? "He had... uh... kinda dark blonde, curly, short hair. Mid-twenties I'd say. Dark eyes, sort of scruffy looking." Isabel offered. That was really all she could make out of him. She just prayed that that would be enough to go on for Liz.  
  
Sure it did fit Sean's description. But how could Liz go on that, then again how could she not. She knew walking in here that there was a slight possibility that he could have caused this. Liz just didn't want to deal with the fact in knowing that her being here had hurt Max, Michael, or Isabel. She didn't want to be to blame for that... but it was coming in perfectly clear that she in fact was.  
  
"I know I've been quite through out this... and that I probably shouldn't be butting in now... but that's never stopped me before." Maria announced, then grabbed Liz to stop her from pacing. Holding Liz's shoulder and looking deep into her dark doe eyes "Liz this reeks of Sean. We need to tell the authorities that he is behind this."  
  
"Valenti." Michael said. The one word seemed to ring true to the three of them, but it left Liz, Maria, and Alex baffled.  
  
Michael answered the unspoken question. "He's the local Sheriff ... he helps us from time to time. I'll go make the call." Michael offered standing. "Why don't we leave you to get some sleep huh?" Michael asked Isabel.  
  
"Sure, sure." She replied waving him off.  
  
Following Michael's que they all left her room.  
  
After contemplating whether it was a good thing or a bad thing that she told them how she did, Isabel drifted off to a restless sleep. Finding comfort in her nightly dreams of finding love, getting married and growing old with the perfect man. But in her dreams the perfect man, the father of her perfect children was always face less. There but not there. To be heard from but not fully seen. It depressed her and delighted her all in the same way. Was he unseen because she was still meant to find him... or was it the other way around? Was he unseen because she would never find him? Tonight was different though... the unseen was starting to come into focus.  
  
TBC 


	22. Chap 17 Faded Memories

Inside my Mind  
  
This part features a song by Save Ferris. It might be hard to distinguish the lyrics from the flashbacks, but I tried my best, since I know that the bold or italics don't show up here, and I don't know how to fix that. Enjoy.  
  
Part 17  
  
It had been a long night for Alex Whitman. He arrived in Roswell, NM about four hours ago. After being there a good two hours, and seeing the most gorgeous women he had ever laid eyes on... he heard why she was laying in a hospital bed in critical condition. Sean Orbock. That man had caused so much to go wrong in Alex's life it was unreal.  
  
Now here he was at five o'clock in the morning in a waiting room while everyone else around him was with what appeared to be a 'significant other'. Figures I always was the odd man out. Alex thought as he decided that he needed some coffee. After driving straight through he really wasn't in a sleeping mood. He trugid his way down the long, white tiled hall of the hospital. When he walked past the room that contained her he didn't know why but he felt compelled to go in there, like he owed it to her to check in on her, make sure that she was safe.  
  
So Alex followed his feet and pushed open the door to her room. She was sleeping. Which was why they had all left her in the first place. He was happy to see her at peace. She was so riled up when he was in there before, in her condition he didn't think that that was a good thing for her to be doing. She needed to rest, and relax.  
  
For some strange reason he felt connected to her. Like he knew her, and they were old time pals. Alex decided to take a seat in the chair next to her bed. She shouldn't be alone right now, he thought carelessly as he leaned back in the chair and finally felt at ease for the first time that night. All his tense muscles seemed to unclench, all his worries went away just by sitting there and being near her. Her who though? Alex questioned himself. He didn't even know her! Trying to push those thoughts aside he noticed for the first time the music that was playing in the room. He didn't know the song but he couldn't help but to relate the current situation to it.  
  
--"I remember all the things she used to say  
  
And I remember all the games we used to play  
  
And I remember loving you"  
  
But now that love has all gone away--  
  
As the lyrics rushed on he kept putting moments from the past three years to them without even thinking about it or wanting to encourage it they flooded his very being and thought they'd never end...  
  
--His love for her had only turned to harm--  
  
Getting his call from Maria that Liz was in a coma. Finally getting to the hospital to find out that a drunken Sean had beat her and thrown her against a wall... because she refused to have sex with him.  
  
--"So she ran for sanctuary  
  
Into another's arms"--  
  
Seeing Liz asleep in the hospital waiting room with a dark haired, mystery man. Securely tucked away in his protective embrace.  
  
--But he caught wind of what was happening  
  
And flew into a rage so maddening--  
  
Him being backed up against the wall of his own home, Sean threatening to beat the details of Liz's jaunt out of him, without hesitation.  
  
--"She'll be with no one  
  
If she won't be with me"--  
  
Sean coming to the hospital everyday after he had put Liz in the coma. Only to be taken away by security, screaming and hollering that she was his.  
  
--You see his love for her had turned to obsession  
  
Could not let go of his prized possession--  
  
Reading over the letter that Sean had left in Liz's hotel room. The comments that he owned her and that she was a bad girl for leaving him, but that she would be punished when she returned and until she did bad things were going to happen..  
  
--This was what she was  
  
For this is what she was--  
  
Liz crying in his arms that she was stuck and couldn't find her way out, that no matter what she did or where she went he'd always be there to screw her over. Knowing that Liz was right, but still telling her that everything would work out.  
  
--But the love grew into bitter jealousy  
  
Violence ends in silence  
  
With fatality  
  
Why must this be?--  
  
Finding out what had happened to Isabel, and who had caused it. Knowing that Sean was acting out on his threat to kill Liz's friends so she would have no one to turn to, and be forced to come back to him.  
  
--That's all there is  
  
There's no love--  
  
Being with Liz after she awoke from her coma, only to tell the cops that Sean had done nothing to her. That she was at fault for what had happened.  
  
--There's no love for you  
  
This time--  
  
Knowing that Liz had gone back with Sean after she left was realeased from the hospital, but Liz denying it to him and Maria for fear of their disapproval.  
  
--There's no love for you  
  
There's no love--  
  
Watching Liz from a far, knowing that she was blaming herself for what had happened to Isabel. Knowing that she was living in fear and that there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it since know one knew where Sean was.  
  
--No Love--  
  
Alex finally snapped back to reality when 'the sleeping beauty' in front of him stirred in her sleep, rolling over so that her face was now in his line of view. Even with the stitches above her eye and the bruise on her cheek, there was no doubt in his mind that she was the most amazing women he had ever seen. Inside and Out.  
  
===================  
  
He sat at the small diner that she had been meeting at with men ... other men that weren't him. He shook his head at the thought "tisk tisk Lizzy" he mumbled as he lifted the white coffee cup to his mouth and washed back more of its hot liquid, while looking over the morning paper.  
  
He decided to turn to the obituary section hoping that something would be printed on the 'accidental death of Isabel Evans' or the 'unsolved murder of Isabel Evans'. He was disappointed not to find a thing. Defeated he turned to the local news section as he sipped more coffee, only to spit it back out when he read the first headline –  
  
"Local sweetheart Isabel Evans Survives Near Fatal Car Wreck."  
  
Throwing the newspaper against the table and cursing to himself. He'd thought for sure she'd been dead when he left. How could she not of been!  
  
Which only showed to prove that now he had one more person to rid of and even less time to do it. A smirk spread across his face as he envisioned his next victim... what a sweet victory that would be.  
  
TBC 


	23. Chap 18 Friendly Faces

**Inside my Mind  
  
Part 18**

**A/N: Sorry this took so long to get up. The next two parts to this are already written. I'll be posting part 19 very soon. Please please let me know if anyone is still reading this. Thanks so much.**

* * *

His boots clicked against the white tiles with his quick pace, as he walked down the long hopsital corridor. Turning the corner he made his way to the area that he was informed of. There he spotted the familiar face that he knew would be waiting there for him. He distracted his view from the window, and shoved the door open. "Max." He greeted tipping his hat.  
  
"Jim." Max replied warmly.  
  
"Where is everyone?"  
  
"Went to get some familiar food."  
  
"Crashdown?"  
  
"You know anything better." Max joked. "So now is as good a time as any to start this, probably better since I'm the only one here."  
  
"Yeah I suppose." Jim Valenti, also known as the town sheriff really wasn't looking forward to this. He hated seeing the kids in danger. All though they were hardly kids anymore. He still remembered when Max would gaze at his sheriff star with wide eyes asking a million questions about his job. When Isabel would spend hours trying to convince Kyle to play barbies with her, before Kyle would give in and make all the Barbie's go to the imaginary football game to watch the star player. He laughed at that thought. Then the time when Michael got pulled over for his first speeding ticket, an hour after getting his license. Those were the good times he enjoyed remembering. Not the bad when he was called under secret alien circumstances, to help keep them out of danger or from the public eye.

Max took a seat at the small table in the waiting room and motioned for the slightly worn man to join him.  
  
Jim took a seat across from Max, and asked the most obvious of questions. Usually the most important one. "This alien related?"  
  
Max knew that was coming. In all the years that Jim had known about the three of them, whenever they got into trouble that was always the first question. "No, not that we know of."  
  
"All right. Good to hear, in some repsects. Go on." Jim emphasized by moving his hand forward through the air.  
  
"Well there's this girl Liz." Max face quickly brightened at the sound of her name. Which didn't go unnoticed by Jim. He knew this was going to be a case that they were all emotionally attached to. 

* * *

Alex awoke in Isabel's room still in his same chair. Isabel was awake and watching T.V next to him in her hospital bed, showered by the blue blanket. He noticed that she seemed to glow this morning. Maybe she was just a morning person, or maybe she was feeling better today. He hoped that it was the latter.  
  
"He's alive." She commented with a genuine smile.  
  
"That he is." Alex said standing and stretching his arms above his head. That little chair had been murder on his back all night. He was surprised that he'd slept at all.  
  
Isabel looked at him as he stretched. He wasn't bad to look at in the slightest she decided. She didn't know if she should comment on the fact that he had slept in her room all night or not, she decided to leave it as it lay. Did it mean something, did he like her? No. She decided. He couldn't possibly, he doesn't even know me. Probably just something about the ventilation in here, or the view, maybe he had come in to watch T.V or something.  
  
"Sleep well?" He asked taking his seat again next to her bed.  
  
She noticed that he'd moved the chair closer when he sat down again. The simple act excited her. Maybe he did like me after all she thought. "Yeah. Well, as well as I can I guess. I just wish that I could do something be out there instead of trapped in her, completely bed ridden! They won't even let me take a little walk through the hospital!" She started to rant, she hated it when she ranted like that.  
  
She was so cute when she started ranting he noted. "You'll be up and wandering the hospital before you know it. Promise." He said with a wink. "You hungry though. I'm guessing that since I wasn't kicked out by a nurse all night, that you haven't eaten yet."  
  
"Yeah food would be nice. But no worries Liz and Maria accompanied by a protective Michael left a while ago to get some Crashdown food."  
  
"Crashdown?" Alex questioned.  
  
She did a pretend gasp, "You've never heard of the Crashdown?"  
  
"Nope." He said smirking at her.  
  
"You'll love it the food is fantastic, I'll have to take you there when I get out of this damn hospital." She vowed.  
  
Was that... did she just... she had made future plans with him. Alex was in total awe, the excitement overwhelmed him. He hadn't intended to fall asleep in her room. He thought for sure when he woke up that she would have been furiated that a strange man whom she didn't know slept in her room all night unbenounced to her. He surely hadn't expected her to be so kind to him. She was just as he had imagined, kind, generous, sweet... perfect.

* * *

"So you are saying that he is here in Roswell." Jim questioned. "And he did that to Isabel." He shook his head. This was unbelievable. After hearing everything he'd wished that this Sean guy would be an alien, so that he wouldn't have to think of a human doing this to someone, he wanted him to be an evil alien that was here to wipe out the planet earth, so that when they succeeded in killing him, he could feel good about himself, about saving everyone. Just the thought that a human, someone that had been raised in this society would do all these things, always gave him the creeps.  
  
"I know I wish he were alien too." Max commented under his breath. He knew what Jim was thinking, he wished it was the other way too. But it wasn't and either way they had to deal with it, and fast.  
  
"We've been doing this to long." Jim commented in response to Max's words. Too Long.  
  
"Where do you want to start, what should we do first?" Max asked, eager to get this over with, so that everyone was safe and that he could be with Liz, he waited for that day, hoped for that day, and prayed that it would come soon. That they could go out on the streets of the town, walk through the park holding hands, feel and be completely safe.  
  
"Don't worry about it Max. It's been slow at the station, I've got it covered. If I need anymore information I'll call you." Jim said standing and ready to go.  
  
Max was relieved, he'd been really hoping that he'd say that. "Thanks Jim. Make sure to keep me updated." Max said as Jim nodded.  
  
"What room is Isabel in. I wanted to see how she was doing before I left."  
  
"She's in room 29." Max replied.  
  
"Thanks." Jim said closing the door behind him.

* * *

"Funner?" Alex asked. "Funner isn't proper english, but is it considered a word?"  
  
"It is now." Isabel beamed as she wrote down the 7 points that her word gave her.  
  
Isabel and Alex sat on her hospital bed playing with the scrabble board that the nurse had brought them. Isabel was now up by 7 points, and it was Alex's turn to put down his word.  
  
He carefully laid his word down starting from the s to the t and through to the r. He smiled when he was done.  
  
Isabel turned her head to look at the word. "Stargazer?" She asked. "Oh crap that means you win." She faked upset folding her arms across her chest and pouting.  
  
"That I do." He laughed. "But winner bies loser a soda right?"  
  
"Right you are." Isabel said waving him off to get her a soda from the hall vending machine.  
  
"Fine fine, I'll be back." He said as he got up to leave to get her a soda.  
  
Just as he'd gotten off the bed they heard a knock on the door. Alex making himself useful answered it. When he opened the door he found an older man on the other side taking in his ettiar Alex figure him to be the Sheriff that was meeting Max. "Come in." Alex said moving aside so he could step in.  
  
"Jim!" Isabel gushed as she saw him come in. Making Jim smile. He walked over to the side of the bed leaned in and gave her a big hug. He pulled back to look at her. It crushed him to see her like this. He had to make it right for her again. "How are you feeling?" He asked.  
  
"Good, very good."  
  
"That's good. Just wanted to see how you were."  
  
"Oh. Well I'm good." She said smiling, realizing how much she'd used the word good. "I've got someone to keep me company, and beat me at scrabble." She said gesturing towards Alex. Making Jim turn to look at the young man that had let him in. He outstretched his hand for Alex to shake.  
  
"Jim Valenti."  
  
"Alex Whitman." Alex said shaking the other mans hand.  
  
"Well I will let you two get back to your game. Call me if anything comes up Iz." He said tipping his hat and leaving the room.  
  
After the door shut behind him Alex turned to Isabel. "So you guys get in trouble a lot?" He asked. It did seem kinda weird to him that they would all be so close to the Sheriff.  
  
Isabel was a little worried by his question how should she answer that. She liked Alex a lot, he'd been so kind to her. She wanted to tell him her secret, she knew that he'd understand she just knew it. But it wasn't her secret to tell, if she told she'd could be putting Michael and Max in danger as well. "Our uh families are close, small town and all, you know how it goes." She lied.  
  
He just left it at that. No reason to push, it was most likely true. For some strange reason he had the feeling that it was more than that, like they knew him personally because something had happened. "Well I'll go get your soda now." He smiled and walked out the door.

* * *

"I can't believe you took an hour deciding what to order for two people! That's ridiculous, don't you think that's ridiculous Liz?" Maria said waving her hands about as she talked about how long it'd taken Micheal to order for him, Isabel, and Max. Truth was Michael just hated being in the hospital, if being at the Crashdown to pick up food for everyone was his only escape then so be it. They walked down the hall of the hospital towards Isabel's room.  
  
"Yeah Maria." Liz said kinda distracted. "You two go take Isabel and Alex the food. I'll see where Max is." She announced as she branched off from them to go down to their waiting room where she figured Max would be.  
  
She really hadn't wanted to go with Michael and Maria to get food, but Max insisted that he talk to the sheriff guy alone, so after awhile she finally gave in, only when he'd promised to tell her everything about the meeting.  
  
She pushed the door of the room open to find him in there as she expected. He was sitting at the small table drinking a Pepsi, seemingly lost in thought. He looked up when he heard her enter, his face automatically brightened at the sight of her. She seemed to have a way of doing that to him.  
  
"Hey." She said walking over to him. She took a seat on the table next to his chair. "How'd it go?"  
  
"As I hoped. Jim said he'd handle everything and keep us updated." Max replied smiling up at her.  
  
"Good to hear. We brought breakfast back, they took it to Isabel's room." Liz said scooting a little closer to Max as she sat on the hard wood table, she couldn't help it all she wanted to do was kiss him and hold him and be with him forever. She didn't understand how she'd developed such strong feelings for him over the past days but she had, and she loved feeling this way.  
  
"You wanna go eat?" He asked, hoping that she'd say no so they could stay in the room and just be alone, that's all he really wanted to do right now. Just be with her. He didn't know if he should feel bad for feeling this way, his sister had almost died and here he was wanting to spend every free second he had with another person.  
  
"Among other things." She said under her breath, she hadn't even meant to say it out loud. Judging from the pleased expression on his face he'd heard her though.  
  
"Is that so." Max said rubbing his hand casually over her thigh and looking up into her deep eyes, he loved being able to watch all her emotions reflect back to him through her amazing eyes. He hoped that when she looked into his eyes she saw all the emotions he was feeling as well.  
  
In response Liz just smiled and leaned down to kiss him. She'd meant it to be a quick kiss but he moved his other hand up to hold her cheek and their kiss quickly became more passionate.  
  
Max needed her closer. He put both his hands on her waist and in one quick motion pulled her down to be on his lap.  
  
Liz was surprised, but incredibly excited by his action. She loved being close to him, feeling him, knowing that he wanted her just as much as she wanted him. It made her feel alive again.  
  
TBC

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